Eureka Seven: Corrupted Hopes
by Kaster-Revised
Summary: After a years passing, Renton and Eureka have returned to a world foreign to their memory. The P.O.F. formed, after splitting off from the U.F. A new weapon is discovered, one powerful enough to even separate the love of Renton and Eureka.
1. Chapter 1: Left in Shattered Land

**Eureka Seven: Corrupted Hopes**

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Just really quick, so every one knows. I do not own Eureka Seven… Duh.

I'm also sorry for the many typos you will see. I have a habit of skipping words.

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**Chapter one: Left on Shattered Land**

"It's been a year sense the second summer of love. The U.F. force slowly started to break apart after the lost of their leaders. For the sages had been killed by Dewey. These facts spread too quickly to be stopped. One half of the U.F. broke off and started their own faction. Although the two remain at peace, it's only a matter of time tell chaos breaks loose," a man typed at the computer, he stopped for a few seconds and then continued, "exploration of the earth had begun. It's been thousands of year's sense humans have stepped on that ground once again, the earth that is. Part of the outer shell of the planet, what we once lived on, had broke apart and split into space. Still some parts of the outer surface remains. Many lives were lost, but it was inevitable. It seems that Eureka and

Renton Thurston have yet to return, leaving only their heroic images behind. No reports of them have been noted, and its likely that their not coming back.

The Gekko state is still living strong. They are in co-operation with the half of the military that changed. I should also record that this half now calls themselves the P.O.F., Pacific Operations Force. I've decided to remain with this half, realizing the obvious mistakes of the U.F. force. Anemone has also come with me, seeing how much she has changed, I wasn't surprised. She has become so much happier now… Being that she no longer has to deal with the drugs… and Dewey." The young man stopped again,n pondering in his own thoughts. He looked around the room and then back at the computer screen. "I've come to realize something I should be grateful for. Though now it's impossible to do anything about it. I wish I could of had one chance to thank him before he disappeared, that boy Renton." With the short sigh, Dominic leaned back in his chair and released his hands from the control panel. The room he was in was small, being it was his original one, inside the still thriving red ship, Izumo. Captain Jurgens was still commander, but now he was leader of the separated faction, the P.O.F. Dominic stood up with a look of sadness on his face.

"Are you ok Dominic?" A girl with pink hair said from the door. Dominic turned around surprised, and realized it was just Anemone. The one he cared for more then any one else in the world.

"Yes, I'm sorry Anemone. I was just finishing up a small report for myself. You know it's been a year-"

"Yes I know." She said while abruptly cutting him off, but not with any sign of annoyance. Instead she was looking down at the ground, sadness dwelling in her eyes. Dominic could only think of how much she really has changed. He stepped forward and put his arms around her. She leaned against him and closed her eyes.

"One day I'm sure they'll return, it's only a matter of time." He said, not sounding to sure himself. A year was far too long to be away, but he wasn't giving up hope. Renton had done some pretty amazing things for him. One of them he was holding in his arms right then.

"Its time to leave Dominic, the Gekko state has finally arrived at the rendezvous." She looked up at him to see a smile on his face. His reassurance and strength was shared from him to her. She smiled as well and they walked off. It didn't take long for them to get to the mini shuttle, ready for launch. Everything was about ready, when a man suddenly walked over to the back door. It was the Captain Jurgens, one of Dominic's good friends. The same man who took action and joined the Gekko state when the path was laid before them.

"Tell Holland I said hi." His face was as hard as usual.

"You sure you don't want to come along. I mean, it has been a year sense you've seen him." Dominic asked him. The captain only shook his head. "Very well, we'll be back in about three days." The man nodded and stepped back from the hatch to let it close. The shuttle launched off from the belly of the ship and sailed forward in the direction of the Gekko-Go. The green trail of trapar was bright in the dark night. Dominic knew that meeting up with them again was going to be strange. The last time he was aboard the Gekko-Go was a year ago, before the disappearance of Eureka and Renton. Anemone looked out the window with anxious excitement. It was a comforting site to his eyes. So he smiled as well, and continued the ship forward.

"So we're finally back…" A young male voice spoke in strange surroundings. It was dark, and there were trees surrounding the two, the two being Renton and Eureka. They held each others hands tightly, love and confidence holding the grip together.

"I wonder how long we have been gone." Eureka said aloud and looked at Renton. He looked back and smiled.

"Who knows, but what matters is that we are back!" He reached and moved closer. Softly he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back, and for a while they stood there.

Finally they were together, and they were home. Soon he knew they would both be in their children's arms. That was a time that Eureka couldn't wait for.

"Maurice… Maeter… Link…" She said softly while leaning her head on his shoulder.

Renton could only nod. Between them it felt like it could go on forever, but eventually they had to move on. He let her go and started to take in his surroundings. Eureka waited patiently, and then finally started to look around herself.

"Geh… I have no idea where this place is, and I don't see any city." He sighed and sat down against one of the many trees. Eureka walked over and sat next to him.

"Maybe we should wait tell day light? That way we will be able to see everything better." Renton looked over at her after she spoke. She was leaning her head on his shoulder with gently closed eyes. There was a smile across her face that encrusted a blanket of warmth around his chest. The desire of sleep started to wash over him as the feeling grew stronger.

"Maybe… your right." He said and leaned his head on hers. They'd only been gone for a short while, yet the world seemed different. _Something's changed, _he thought to himself and looked up at the stars. For a moment he closed his eyes and then opened them again.

Everything was different; it had become a little brighter. From what he could tell, it was now early in the morning. Suddenly his heart skipped a beat and he took a deep breath. Staring down at them was military type KLF, but some of the designs were clearly different. Instead of the usual blue color it was a subtle red, and extending from its head were three curved spikes. He turned over and tried to move Eureka awake. The KLF was starting to move as he did so. When her eyes drifted open, he quickly helped her up, leaving her completely unaware. Her eyes lazily searched about the area, until they landed on the KLF. With a jump of energy her eyes shot wide open and almost fell over.

" Eureka, we got to get moving!" Renton said and helped her get her footing. At that moment the KLF knelt down and the cockpit opened. A man wearing a strange sphere like helmet popped out holding a gun and then aiming it at them. Renton looked up and held Eureka tightly. He wasn't going to let Eureka die, but in an instant, it felt as if all hope was gone. The world had suddenly turned on them with one blink, with one opening of the eye.

The man tilted his head back in surprise and pulled off his helmet.

"Thurston?" He said with a smile on his face as he hopped down from his KLF. "Well this is incredible! You guys have been gone for a whole year now! I recognize your face from old RayOut issues, even some new ones." The man lowered his gun and stepped up to the two of them. Renton was still breathing hard and looking around desperately. Their desperate confusion cause the man to laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm apart of the P.O.F. No need to worry, I'm one of the good guys." He held out his hand for a shake. Renton looked down at it as if it were a knife, but only saw it to be a hand. For a second he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. The inside of his chest was thumping hard. For that split moment, he thought he going loose everything… even Eureka.

"Thank you." Eureka responded and shook his hand. Renton gave way to a look of surprise. She didn't seem stressed in the least. In fact, she seemed happy

"No Problem, the names Konner, but you can just call me Kon." His voice and smile gave out a friendly feeling. Renton noticed this and took his hand. Who ever the man was, he wasn't an enemy. And for Renton, that was good enough.

"I'm sorry… but… wait, who are the P.O.F. and what do you mean we've been gone a year?" Renton was slightly confused. His memory didn't feel false in the least. They fell back down to earth, and somehow… _Now that I think about it, how did me and Eureka reach the ground safely?,_ he thought to himself.

"I'm surprised you don't know. We're the faction that separated from the U.F. force. I mean, the main reason it happened was because of captain Jurgens who decided to join with Gekko-state. It all started because of RayOut, and the issue on you two." Kon finished and tilted his head in confusion again. "Though I don't know what you mean about a year… it has been a year, or at least I hope it has." He made it sound like it was plainly obvious. Eureka looked at Renton with confusion. He shared the same stare. "I don't know where you guys have been, but a lot of people have been wondering. And apparently you didn't get out much, where ever you've been."

_Maybe we shouldn't discuss it with this man… He could be lying,_ Renton decided. The sound of a radio crackled from KLF. Kon turned around and quickly climbed back up into the giant and slim mech.

"This is Kon reporting from sector seventeen." There was a short pause.

"Kon, your wanted back at the lab, where are you?" The voice asked. Kon took a moment to gaze at Eureka and Renton, the smile on his face slowly getting wider.

"Well… we got our selves a little surprise Jake. I don't know how, but Eureka and

Renton are standing before me." No response came from the comm.

"What?" The other asked, not finding this a very joke. Kon laughed and shook his fist

in slight excitement.

"Their back, them, THEY!!!" He said back over the comm.

"I don't see why it is so great that we are back. Why would Kon and this other man care so much?" She asked with curiosity. Renton thought about it for a second, though the answer did seem pretty obvious to him. She wasn't there for all of it, before he left to save her. But he was there for enough of it.

"Well, we are the hero's now." His face lit up a little at the thought. The comm finally responded.

"Maybe you've been in the test KLF for to long Kon. Head back to base now." The transmission cut off. Kon couldn't even contain his excitement.

"Just wait you two, I'll be your ride for this evening… or morning." He turned around and then looked back down at them. "I'm afraid it's going to be a little cramped though. This mech wasn't exactly designed for two." He chuckled to himself and stepped down.

For a few seconds he just stared at the two and let out a sigh, like draining the gases of joy from his body. But then he frowned with just a tinge of confusion. "You two don't seem as excited…" Eureka and Renton yet again shared a gaze.

"Its nothing, I guess we're just a little overwhelmed." Renton gave a weak laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. Kon shook his head and walked behind the two. Eureka looked behind in confusion as they both received a short push.

"Come on, I can't wait till every one sees this." His voice spiked full of energy. Renton sighed and Eureka only gave away her obvious confusion. In a few short seconds they were inside the cockpit and the door closed on them. Kon slid his helmet back on and snapped it in. A single eye appeared on the front of the helmet. Renton couldn't help but think that it looked a little creepy.

The giant KLF stood up and jumped into the air. With one swift motion it whipped on its board and landed on it. Renton's eyes were forced wide in surprise as the site. The motion was so smooth and clean, not single jerk in the action.

"What was that?" Eureka asked and looking around at the view screens. "The KLFS were not originally designed like that." She added and looked down at Konner. A separate eye slid out of the first one and curved around the helm to look up at her.

"It's a new design I was assigned to test. The original idea came from your LFO, the Nirvash. This version is slightly more flexible, but it's not as strong," he said with another one of his laughs. "A lot of new ideas are coming into the new designs of the KLFs because of the Nirvash." His eyes moved back into one. It then circled across the sphere, looking at the different screens. The LFO turned to it right and shot forward on the board, making a few short curves on the green trapar. Renton couldn't help but feel at home again inside a KLF, though originally his home was inside an LFO. It didn't matter to him, it still felt the same.

"It's time to head back to base then. We would be meeting up with captain Jeurgens, but Izumo was dropping off Dominic and Anemone at the Gekko-Go." He reached forward and pulled back a lever, then his fingers quickly dabbed at a few buttons.

"Wait, Dominic and Anemone are on the Gekko-Go?" Renton almost burst out, looking at Eureka and then back down at Konner.

"Yes… why?"

"Well… what are they doing on the Gekko-Go? I thought they would be with the captain of that one ship still, the… the Izumo?" Renton rubbed his head, confused at everything going on. Eureka didn't seem to be handling the situation either.

"Oh, you mean the red one? They still are, their just visiting." It all seemed too casual to Konner. Although Anemone and Dominic had come to the truth, it still seemed a little strange. Renton had a harm time believing it. The thought of a year was still poking at his brain. It wouldn't leave him alone, and it was starting to get on his nerves.

"Do you know why their just visiting?" Renton asked. Konner shrugged his shoulders.

"I wouldn't know, maybe their just asking for advice." He laughed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, that was just joke, but it is true that Holland and Talho are now parents." Eureka eyes widened a little. She had completely forgotten about Talho. Renton couldn't stop from feeling the same impression. He could remember back before he had left the

Gekko-Go.

"That's right, Talho and Holland were having a baby before we left. I never thought it would come so quickly." She paused for a second and then looked at Renton. "We apparently have been gone for a year now… Is that really possible?" Renton looked at her, no answer seemed logical.

"I'm not sure, it doesn't feel like that much time has passed. It doesn't even feel as if a day has passed. Something must have happened." He looked out the view port. The trees were moving quickly billow them, and the sparkle of water filled their sites. It was a large lake surrounded by trees. The sun reflected off the water causing a cool shade of blue against the KLF. Eureka gasped and smiled.

"It's beautiful." She said with joy filling her voice. Renton gazed at her violet eyes. Seeing them lit up as they were spread a calm smile on his face. Something about Eureka just made him feel like everything was alright. So he looked at the surroundings as well, and forgot about everything that was happening. A little while later, they had crossed the lake, and they were back moving across land.

"We're here." Konner said pointing a finger at a building in the distance. Eureka and Renton looked up to see a large facility. "Let me be the first to introduce you to one of the many science and development centers. This is where some of the greatest stuff is developed for the P.O.F." His voice was obviously proud. Renton and Eureka peered towards the building, wondering what lay weight for them next. Whatever it may be, Renton hoped it was good.


	2. Chapter 2: Action and Reaction

**Chapter 2: Action and Reaction**

The KLF crouched and slowed down. When it got the right momentum, it jumped off the board and landed. The last foot off quickly pressed down and kicked the tip up. Konner pulled back another lever and the KLF reached out and grabbed the board.

"Showing off are we?" A female voice came over the comm...

"Wellll, you know how it is Klera." He said charmingly. A sigh came from the other, and Kon laughed.

"What ever Konner, Irik wants you back at the lab. He'd like to take some more tests on how everything turned." She laughed from the other end. "According to this, you're having some hallucinations of Renton Thurston and Eureka." She said mockingly. Kon unhooked his helmet, giving away to the satisfaction on his face.

"Not in the lease, in fact, their standing right next to me." Kon said and pressed a button. The cockpit door opened up and Kon jumped out first.

"This man seems very energetic?" Eureka said while looking out the door uneasily. Renton laughed and started for the door.

"Ladies and gentle men let me introduce you to the hero's of our world. Renton Thurston and Eureka!" He turned and motioned his hand to the door. Renton stepped out first into a strange site. It was a large room, with a few people wearing lab coats. They were all looking at Konner and then at Renton. A girl walked forward her eyes wide.

"You weren't being a jokester this time Kon…" She said shaking her head. Eureka stepped out as well and looked around at the many people. Every ones eyes immediately turned to her. Her cheeks felt hot as they turned red. The sudden attention caught her off guard. Renton reached down and grabbed her hand with reassurance. Another man walked up and pulled off his glasses. Mostly every one in the room looked to be above their thirties, except for the girl and the other man.

"Wow Kon, I figured you were just pulling another of your stupid jokes. But this time you surprise even me. Encore my good friend." He clapped his hands together. Kon laughing again, something he did alot. The people started to gather around them. It was only a matter of time before they started to bust out the many questions they've been holding in. This didn't escape Konners attention.

"Hey Renton, Eureka, I imagine that you haven't eaten yet?" Konner said and turned around. "Would you like to accompany me and my friends, Klera and Jake here." Renton looked at Eureka. She looked back, the answer was clear.

"Sure." Renton replied simply and stepped down. They followed Kon and his friends to smaller room, what seemed to be the lunch hall. Renton was starting to miss the chance of just being alone with Eureka. He was around people he wasn't sure he could trust. Eureka was looking down at the ground with tired eyes.

"You alright Eureka?" Renton asked. Eureka looked up to see he was uneasy as well. She smiled and shook her head.

"It's just a bit… much." She replied.

"Well guys, there's plenty of food you can get your hands on here." He looked about until his eyes fell on a person walking towards them.

"Oh, there's Irik." Kon said with his usual smile. The guy looked to be around more of Eureka and Renton's age. The young man stopped in front of them.

"Hey Kon, you didn't come to the records center. I wasn't really surprised when I heard about what happened. Where are the two any way?" He asked curiously himself. There was a strange calm all about him that Renton and Eureka both noticed.

"Well, their right here." Kon said and stepped aside. Irik looked up and raised his eye brows.

"Incredible, so you're the pilots of the famous Nirvash. The ones who unlocked the full capacity of the Amita drive?" He asked and took a step forward. Eureka took a step back, finding the question a little strange. Kon put a hand on Irik's shoulder and turned him around.

"For a few seconds just at ease your mind and rest Irik. You've been working too much." Kon said and started to walk forward. Irik nodded and sighed. They started to move toward a table, the place being filled with them. They chose one next to a wall filled with bright windows. The outside revealed a large and green forest, flushing with life. Eureka kept her eyes on the window as they sat down, Renton couldn't help but admire the beauty as well.

"Well, you two can chat for a little. The four of us will grab something for you." Kon said and left Eureka and Renton finally by themselves. It felt like the world was spinning around them.

"I can't totally grasp everything that's going on. I mean, a whole year?" Renton said looking at Eureka, she only shook her head.

"I'm not sure what could have happened after Nirvash sent us back to earth. It doesn't make any sense." She mumbled and leaned against him. He smiled and held her close. "I want to see them again, our children." Renton nodded.

"Me too, I wonder how much they've grown." Eureka suddenly sat up with worried eyes.

"What if they hate us for being away for so long? They'll probably blame us for everything… Do you think their alright?" The way she sounded even made Renton worried, but he shook his head and gave her a confident grin.

"I know Holland would take care of them, and I'm sure they'll understand." Renton's voice calmed Eureka down.

"Thank you Renton, thank you." She said and leaned against him again. He always said the right words to her. The ones to help her realize that everything will be ok. Just being around him gave an unseen strength.

"I wonder how the Gekko-Go is doing… Grandpa… everything. How much has really changed?" Eureka gave no answer, but she wanted to know too. After all that happened, Renton started to feel the suppressed fatigue.

"Hey guys!" A voice yelled really loud in Renton's ears. He jumped up almost knocking Eureka over. His head darted around until he spotted Kon rolling on the ground laughing.

"Man you guys are great. There's too many scientist around that would rather work then sleep. I've always wanted to do something like that." He stood up wiping some tears from his eyes. Renton was still breathing hard, and eureka was rubbing the side of her head in pain. Reason being that Renton's shoulder hit it accidentally.

"Sorry Eureka." Renton said in his guilt. Eureka shook his head.

"It wasn't your fault." She looked at Kon who was still chuckling.

"I'm sorry you guys, but there really isn't that many exciting people around here. Except for Klera and Jake, they have their moments." He folded his arm and nodded towards the group holding food.

"Kon, you could have helped us out, what in the world did you need to so urgently d-." She cut off and rolled her eyes. It wasn't hard to notice Eureka and Renton's energized looks. "You really need to grow up Kon." She only received his satisfied smile. He reached up and handed the food to Eureka and Renton. They all sat down and got comfortable.

"You'll have to excuse our friend here. I guess you could call him the jokester of the class. Except… this is a science facility." Jake said and scratched his head. Renton laughed but Eureka didn't get the joke. They all continued to eat for a while, random chatter going around.

'I guess Konner is the only military personnel here. But he also said that he was a test pilot.' Renton thought to himself. Eureka eventually stopped eating, not being that hungry in the first place. She let out a sigh. A man with grayish hair walked up to the table. Like mostly every one else in the building, he was wearing a lab coat.

"Ah, Eureka and Renton Thurston right?" The elderly man asked with a grin. "The Izumo has finally arrived, they've been told about your appearance. Captain Jurgens is anxiously waiting to meet with you two. When you two are done eating I'll bring you to him." Renton garbled down a few more bites and stood up. Eureka had already beat him to the chase.

"We're ready to leave now." Eureka said before Renton could finish swallowing. The man nodded and led them through the halls. Kon, Klera, Jake, and Irik were left to finish eating. It didn't take long tell they ran into Captain Jurgens himself. There were two girls following right behind him who stopped immediately. Renton thought he recognized the girls from some where. They looked to be a few years younger then him self.

"Renton, well this is a surprise?" The man gave way to no smile. Instead he just raised an eyebrow and waited for a response.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. But we did hear that you just dropped off Dominic and Anemone at the Gekko-Go." Renton was sure he'd seen his face before. It felt

strange for him to be talking with a military man. From what he could remember, this was the Captain who convinced his crew to help the Gekko-Go.

"I don't suspect you to. We joined up with the Gekko-Go while you two were under the planet shell. Though we would have come by sooner if we had known of your appearance. Which brings me to one question, where have you two been these past two years?" The man didn't seem untruthful, but there was no way that they could really tell. Renton and Eureka looked at each other and then back at the man.

'Could this all be a joke or a trap? To fool us into thinking that a year has really passed. But if that's so, then what would they gain?' Renton couldn't figure out what would benefit them in this lie.

"We're not sure at the moment. It's something we would rather discuss with Holland." He said in an apologetic voice. The captain shrugged and nodded.

"Very well, we've already set up a small shuttle to where we can meet the Gekko-go. We're having a small problem communicating with them. Don't worry, we should have the communication link momentarily. It's probably just the massive amount of trapar passing through." He finished and turned around to the two girls. "Please return to the ship and see if you can establish the communication with the Gekko-Go

"Yes father."

"Yes Captain."

The two spoke different things. It didn't seem to matter, because they just walked off down the hall.

"Those poor kids Dewey picked up. I'm just glad that some of them are cooperating." He laughed and shook his head. Renton and Eureka were still just plainly confused.

"Captain Jurgens, how is the Gekko-Go doing, and do you know what happened to three children names Maurice, Maeter, and Linck?" Eureka asked hopefully. Jurgens took a second and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I don't know much of crew except for Holland himself." Eureka let out a sigh of disappointment. Renton took her hand gently, which helped her relax.

"Captain Jurgens, what is the P.O.F. force?" Renton had the thought cross his mind. It was nagging him ever sense Konner spoke about it.

"You don't know? Very well, it started about two weeks after the second summer of love. A lot of the U.F. force learned what Dewey was planning. About half of the U.F. force broke off and followed me. We formed the P.O.F., or in other words, Pacific Operations Force. The U.F. force is still going. I don't know whose leading it now. I assume it might be some of the higher ranks of the army. It could also be some one else, but there have been no reports… at least not yet." He lifted his hand and motioned them to follow him. Renton and Eureka both complied. They walked down the hall for a long while with out much talk. "You two wouldn't mind if I asked what happened inside that… tree … would you?" He asked and shared a look behind him. Renton and Eureka looked at each other, not very sure they wanted to answer. The man gave a short laugh and looked forward.

"Don't worry, it's my business." And they continued walking. It didn't take long until they were outside the facility and walking towards the large ship. The runway was huge, making it compatible for any ship that might come. A girl turned her head at the sight of them. She had short blond hair and blue eyes. Quickly she ran over to Jurgens and bowed.

"I told you, you don't need to do that." Jurgens said and rolled his eyes. The girl ignored his comment.

"Captain, we've received an urgent call from the Gekko-Go. They say that there's a large force of U.F. forces heading this way." Captain Jurgens grunted.

"I figured they would make the first Idiotic move. Very well, anything else?"

"Yes, they say they need Irik Livings found and ready for them to pick up. They also suggest that we evacuate all the people here." The girl was young, but she acted as if she had been doing this all her life. Except there was a strange playful nature about it. Jurgens nodded and paused to think.

"Very well, I'll make contact with the manager of this science facility. In the mean time, keep in contact with the Gekko-Go for more notice. And for Irik Liv-"

"We know where he is." Eureka spoke up. Jurgens looked over in mild surprise.

"Go find him and bring him to the Izumo." He pointed his hand at the large red ship. Both Eureka and Renton nodded, and then headed off. They were back in the building and moving quickly.

"Its strange, so much has changed sense we've been gone." Eureka spoke. Renton could tell that she was uncomfortable with the whole situation. Even though he wasn't exactly up beat with it either.

"I'm hoping that Holland will be able to help us some how." Eureka looked over at Renton. She then turned her attention back to running. Finally they broke out into the table scattered room. Renton looked over at the table where they once sat. All they found was Jake talking to Kon, who was just fiddling around with his fork.

"Konner!" Renton yelled and ran forward. At the same moment the room started to flash a bright red. An alarm sounded every where in the building.

"Attention colleagues, there is report of an attack advancing on this facility. Please remain calm and report to the Izumo. There P.O.F. personnel will help you aboard. That is all, please follow usual evacuation precautions." The comm. cut off and every one stood up walking out calmly as if everything was normal. Konner and Jake on the other hand walked over to Renton and Eureka.

"Whats up Renton, do you guys know what's going on?" He asked looked at the two.

"Well, they said it on the radio. At the moment, we really need to find out where Irik is. We need him for some thing." Konner looked confused, but he just shrugged.

"Well, knowing him… He's probably in his office gathering as much of his stuff as he can. Now that I think about it, probably every one is doing it." At that moment Jake coughed on something.

"Your right, my things!" He said and started running towards the door. Konner shook his head.

"Come on, his office is this way." With that they all started towards the door and down the halls. They made it a good ways until they stopped at a random door. Kon reached down and pulled the door open. Inside was messy room, filled with scattered papers. Irik was desperately scrambling around trying to pick the papers up and shoving it into a case. He barely even noticed them coming in.

"Come on Irik, we got to go man." Kon said and started for him. Irik closde the case and stood up.

"You right, we need to go." He turned for the door and walked out. Kon rubbed his head, surprised.

"Ok…" Shrugging he followed him out, and so did Eureka and Renton. They ran down the hall until they reached the outside. The minute they did so, a bright red and blinding light soared across the sky. It was a red beam that originated some where in the distance. The first thing that Renton noticed was the swarming amounts of black that looked to be U.F. forces. Several more beams shot out from them and blazed above them. The last thing he noticed caught Eureka's attention as well. A green and white ship flew their way. One of its wings releasing smoke into the now darkening sky.

"The Gekko-Go…" She whispered next to Renton.


	3. Chapter 3: Realizing a New World

**Chapter 3: Realizing a New World**

"Two flaps on the left wing side have blown. The fire doesn't seem to be spreading." An urgent voice came over the comm. of the Gekko-Go bridge.

"Dangit…" Holland mumbled under his breath. The rest of the crew was scrambling to keep up with the chaos. Every one was there except for Jobs and Talho. "Doggie move the ship higher. We don't want them hitting the Science Facility!" Moondoggie complied and pulled back on the controls. The ship pulled up slightly and then evened out. Several red beams shot by, barely scrapping the paint.

"The total comes out to four ships. Their all armed with heavy cannons." Gidget said quickly, her hands moved across the board in mad craze.

"Great that makes about four to two and the Izumo isn't even up yet." Holland let out a short laugh.

"Attack coming in hot from the right side!" Gidget yelled. Holland looked up.

"Doggie!"

"I know!" He quickly held down on the front buttons and then pulled back diagonally. The Gekko-Go did a quick spin. Several beams shot by barely missing.

"Good work Doggie…" Holland said with a nod. Doggie on the other hand was hyperventilating.

"N-no problem." He heaved and put the ship in upright position.

"There's a channel opening to the Izumo." Woz spoke from behind them. The speakers crackled at the new connection.

"This is captain Jurgens. Most of the scientists and engineers are aboard. There is still no sign of Irik Livings yet. I suspect he'll be here soon." Holland waited a few seconds in thought.

"I see, we're coming in fast. I don't think we'll be able to distract them from you for very long. You got to get Irik Livings aboard soon." Holland face turned fierce as he spoke. Back on the Izumo, all chaos was starting to break loose. People were scrambling around to prep the ship for launch just after it landed. Jurgens was standing over a computer talking into the mike. One of his crew members was sitting down while typing away furiously at the controls.

"Ok, we're launching the KLF's. That should give you some cover for now. In the mean time we'll concentrate on finding Irik Livings." With that Jurgens shot off the comm. and let out a deep breath. "They better hurry up…" His words came out mumbled under his breath.

-----------

Renton and Eureka could only stare in horror at the chaos. Konners face lost its sarcasm and finally went serious.

"Konner… I think this might turn out to be a bigger problem then we thought." Irik said and stopped to think about something.

"I don't want to leave the prototypes behind, and this might be our best chance. Can you get aboard the KLF you tested this morning. Go and help the Gekko-Go." Kon looked at Irik slightly surprised at his calm. He nodded and started to run, but then he stopped suddenly.

"What about you guys?" He asked with a look of confusion. Irik glanced at Renton and Eureka. He nodded and turned back to Kon.

"Don't worry, I know what to do. You just have to hurry." With shrug Kon started in a mad dash. Irik on the other hand turned around and started walking towards a door. Renton and Eureka followed him in. They entered into a deep room filled with a series of stairs. It was dimly lit with white lights, and the metal had a soft shade of blue. As that ran down, the lights got brighter. Finally they reached the bottom. Irik pulled open a small box that contained a pad. He punched in a few numbers and the door slid open. They all rushed through into a pitch black room.

"I can't see a thing." Renton's confusion was easily noticed when he spoke.

"Just give it second…" Irik replied, and as he did so the whole room came alive. All the hundreds of lights on the ceiling turned on, revealing the massive size of the facility. There were many plat forms and small stations set up. Thousands of cords led up into a large machine. For a second Renton wasn't sure what it was, until it finally clicked.

"That's an LFO." Eureka spoke first. Irik looked back and nodded.

"Yes, its been in development for almost a year now. Its original idea came from your LFO, the Nirvash. It took several days to interpret what exactly your LFO could do. And that's when we finally noticed that it could take the shape of a high speed plane." Irik started to walk forward. Renton and Eureka quickly looked at each other before following. "The thing is, it didn't matter if we new how your LFO could do it. Not all of the bodies found were able to form this shape. It was only a few weeks after the second summer of love that we found one that had a strange form. We did several studies on it until Dr. Bear came and immediately recognized the design. It hasn't been tested, and we're not sure if it's really ready to operate. I hate to admit that we have already designed some weapons for its specific use in another facility. But we don't have any boards designed for its body. You'll have to probably take on of the board from another test building." Irik was speaking quickly. He had moved over to a computer and started dabbling in random information that Renton couldn't understand. There were a few loud clanking sounds. Renton averted his eyes to see four clamps unlock from the LFO.

"Does the child have a name?" Eureka asked and looked over at Irik. Irik twisted his head in confusion and raised an eyebrow.

"Child, are you referring to the LFO? Hmmm, well, it does have a registered name of

20-bac1. Though we do have a code name for the project. We call it project Final Beginning." He pressed in a few more buttons and then nodded in satisfaction. Eureka on the other hand wasn't too pleased. She decided to keep to herself until the time was right. Irik walked forward to a table with a metallic box on top of it. He opened it and fiddled around with the inside. "Ah, here it is…" He said and pulled out a compact drive. "It doesn't have the Amita-drive, but it should do the trick for now." Walking over to Renton, he put the Amita-drive in his hands. Renton looked at it, and then at Eureka. A curious question suddenly crossed his mind.

"Irik… How old are you?" Renton asked randomly. Irik shared a small glace of surprise, but it quickly faded. 'He looks to be around my age or Eureka's… But still, I've never seen a scientist this young working on a project like this one.' The thought wondered his mind.

"Hmm, I'm fifteen." He said simply and turned around walking towards the LFO. It didn't look like he wanted to press the subject further. So Renton decided to leave it at that.

"Final Beginning… The child needs a name, it wants a proper name." Eureka said beside Renton. He shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know, why don't you name it?" Renton suddenly sparked the idea to Eureka. She seemed slightly surprised, but then nodded and thought for a second.

"How about… Xellien?" Eureka asked and looked at Renton. He thought about it for a second and smiled.

"I like it." Eureka nodded and they both followed Irik to the LFO. They walked up a few flight of stairs to reach the cockpit. It was at that moment that they realized there were two seats.

"This is designed for two?" Renton said and looked at Irik. Irik nodded and hopped down.

"Yes, again, it's another design that we've incorporated into the Finale Beginning because of the Nirvash." Reaching down Irik grabbed hold of something and twisted it. The cockpit slid open. "It should be able to fit all three of us." He spoke with a nod. Renton got in first, Eureka sat next to him, and then Irik next to her. It wasn't as cramped as Renton thought it would be.

"Well, I'm sure the two of you are familiar with the system." Irik said and looked at the two.

"There are several controls here I don't recognize…" Eureka spoke and examined a few.

"Just don't touch them…" Irik said calmly and clicked a button on the side. The cockpit shut and they were sealed inside. "Everything should be ready… Just insert the compact and we're good to go." Irik laid back, although his face gave way to nothing. You could see something inside his eyes. A desire and anxiousness he didn't feel to exert. Renton paused for a second and then slowly plugged it in. Everything at that moment flared to life. The compact drive gave to a green glow. The control panel lit up, and a few screens turned on. The whole machine seemed to awake from a long sleep. Which Renton thought was probably true.

"Amazing…" Renton said and stroked the control panel. Eureka was smiling as well. There was even a small grin on Irik's face.

"He's happy, happy to be awake." Eureka said and looked at Renton. There was a sparkle in her Violet eyes that drove his energy. He looked forward and gripped the controls. Excitement was building inside of him, he wanted to get this thing off the ground.

"Wait… how are we going to get out of here?" This notice caught his attention. Irik reached forward and pressed a few buttons. The whole place started to shake around them.

"What going on?" Eureka asked and looked around in her confusion. Irik sat back with lazy eyes and waited. A second later the ceiling split. It spread until it was completely open, and then they started to rise. It was only a few more seconds until they were completely out in the open. The sight that caught their eyes was pure destruction. Part of the forest was on fire. Most of the buildings had been obliterated. And there were three black cruisers left flying above them.

"Where are the Gekko-go and the Izumo?" A worried look crossed Renton's face. Irik was looking around as well until he look down at a small panel with a screen. His hands quickly jabbed at a few buttons.

"Behind us." Irik said and Renton nodded. He grabbed at the controls tightly. The LFO turned around steadily. The feeling was unreal; it almost felt like being in the Nirvash again. Once the mech had completely turned around, they spotted the Izumo and Gekko-Go fending off dozens of KLF's.

"The Gekko-Go and Izumo are in perfect range. Why do you suppose the U.F. haven't destroyed them yet?" Eureka asked and pointed at the three black ships. Irik looked up and thought for a second.

"They must want them alive." He said at last and continued looking through the calculations. Eureka felt uneasy at that moment, she felt a hand grip hers. Her eyes turned to Renton who was giving another one of his confident smiles. At that moment she felt a wave of relaxation flush over her. A loud crackle of sound burst inside the cockpit. They all held their ears except for Irik.

"I got the communications working…" He mumbled with annoyance.

"Unidentified LFO, state yourself or we'll have to take you in for I.D. clearance." A professional voice came from the comm..

"Dang it... I can't make contact with the Gekko-Go or Izumo. There's some king of interference from the U.F. ships. Best I can sugge-" The LFO started to run towards the direction of the Gekko-Go. "W-what are you doing?" Irik said trying to hold on. His eyes were wide as he looked at Renton.

"Well, we got to get out of here. I think the Gekko-Go and Izumo are waiting on us. We can't leave them in this situation for forever." A look of serious expression was on Renton's face as he spoke. Irik couldn't argue about that.

"Fine, but how are we going to get on with out them landing? We don't have a wave board or anything?" Renton looked up and scratched his head.

"Hadn't really thought that one through." He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. A beeping sound rang inside the cockpit. Irik turned down to the controls.

"There are three KLF's heading this way. Their moving fast… I-I don't know what to do?" He said and looked up. Renton didn't panic, nor did Eureka. They just kept running through the forest.

"Irik, Irik is that you inside the 20-bac1" Jakes voice came over the comm.. Irik looked up in hope and clicked a few buttons.

"Yes, this is Irik speaking. Well, not exactly. At the moment Renton is piloting the LFO." Irik no longer seemed worried.

"Good, we're patching you through to the Gekko-Go. Its going to take a second sense it's encrypted between us and it alone." The comm. shut off and Irik nodded. His eyes shifted to another screen and he looked up.

"Renton, the KLF's!" He said and pointed up to three objects zooming in quickly. Renton nodded and turned the LFO. It ran forward, there wasn't much to do with out a board. They could either run, or hide. Neither seemed like a good answer. But running actually got them some where.

"Hello, Irik?" A voice that was all to familiar came from the comm.. A smile crossed Eureka's lips as she looked at Renton. He shared a quick glance and continued back to controlling the LFO.

"This is Irik, we're left stranded here with those KLF's. And this LFO has no current design to operate with any board. So all we can do is run here." He spoke firmly into the comm..

"I see, don't worry about the KLF's." Right when Holland said that, an LFO flew in and knocked two down. The third was coming in fast. "On second thought… worry" He said with little contention in his voice. Bullets started to fly from the gun of the KLF. Renton pulled on the controls desperately to avoid them. The rain of bullets only lasted a few seconds as a violet beam of light shot right through it. A soft glow of metal was flying out the back like rain.

"Ok, this is going to be a tricky move. I'm going to have you keep running, we'll try and cover you the best we can. The Gekko-Go is going to do a dip pick up. Do you know that routine?" Ken-Gos voice came in this time. Irik looked at Renton, who in turn only shook his head. Before Irik could speak, Eureka put an arm out to stop him.

"I know it, Renton, the Gekko-Go is going to come into the ground steeply. It's going to extend the catapult for us to jump into. The speed of both of us is going to be overpowering. So it has to be done just right." She looked at Renton with confidence. He let out a deep sigh and nodded. She knew he'd never heard of a move like that. But there was no doubt in her mind that he couldn't do. The Gekko-Go turned around with a deep twist. It dipped towards the ground and charged at them. Renton directed the LFO in the right direction. His breath started to quicken as he move. Eureka reached her hand out and put it on top of his. The stress in his hands slowly released. The catapult from the Gekko-Go slowly extended.

"Here we go." Irik said with uneasy nature. The LFO charged forward, and the timing was just right. Renton pulled up on the controls. The LFO leaped into the air, and the Gekko-Go scooped them up. Everything inside the cockpit shook massively as they

slammed against the catapult. It rolled against the ramp, sparks flew everywhere. The screeching sound of metal on metal burned their ears. It all stopped when they slammed

against the wall and bounced off, landing on the ground and staying still. Everything was silent after that.

"Eureka… are you ok?" He asked and looked at her. She nodded and looked over at Irik. He was holding his arm tightly.

"I think I broke something." His voice was pressured as he talked. Renton reached out to where Irik had pressed the button and opened the cockpit. When he stood up the hanger room was empty.

"I'm sure their coming, lets hurry and get you some help Irik." Renton helped Eureka up and then moved to help Irik. They all stood up and carefully walked off the LFO. It was lying on its side, deep scratches following its path. The sound of a door opening was heard behind them. They turned around to see Holland running down quickly. Once he reached them he stopped immediately.

"R-Renton… E-Eureka?" He said and looked at the two quickly. His eyes were fierce, but his confusion was overwhelming his emotions. It wasn't long until Mischa and Matthieu came running down from the door. They stopped in surprise as well. They all looked at each other, no one speaking a word for a long time… Finally Mischa stepped forward.

"What happened?" She asked and pointed at Irik. Eureka was broken from her trance. Renton and Holland were still staring at each other.

"I…I'm not sure, I think its broken." She said while shaking her head. Mischa nodded and motioned Matthieu to help her. He quickly nodded and took Irik from Renton. Renton shook his head and blinked a few times, as did Holland.

"Sorry." Renton said and rubbed his eyes. The ship shook and they all fell over.

"I'll get Irik back to the Infirmary with Matthieu's help. I suggest you return to command Holland." She said in a strange voice and they left. Renton and Eureka were left alone with Holland.

"I know this isn't the best time, but where have you been all this time?" He said emphasizing on the word time.

"We're not sure…" Renton and looked down at the ground. "It feels like nothings happened at all." Eureka took a step forward.

"What happened to my children?" She asked Holland. He moved his eyes slowly from Renton to her. For a second he just stared and then shook his head.

"Sorry, ummm… Their with Renton's grandfather and safe, from everything that is going on." Eureka let out a breath of air she was holding in. A small smile spread across her face as she nodded.

"My grandpa took them in?" Renton laughed and shook his head. "Only another thing I owe the old geezer." Holland looked between the two and turned around.

"There are a lot of questions I have for the two of you. But now isn't the time." Another attack rocked the ship almost knocking them over. "We can't use you right now. All I can say is go to your rooms and rest. We'll talk later." With that he gave them a calming smile. Then he ran up the stairs and out the room. Eureka and Renton were left alone once again.

"I wish there was something we could do." Eureka spoke softly. Renton nodded, wanting the same thing. For few moments they stood there saying nothing. Constant booms of attacks rang outside the ship. Finally Renton took her hand and started to walk forward. She gingerly held on and followed behind. They walked for a while until they reached her room. Once they stepped inside, they only saw an empty space. Eureka looked into it uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Renton asked looking at her carefully. She looked at him and then broke eye contact.

"This room scares me. It doesn't feel right with out…them." Renton felt something inside him twist. He knew she meant the kids. The door shut and Renton pulled her away. They walked down to his room which was left untouched. Moving inside, they both sat down in a corner. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. For a few moments it seemed like it was alright, that they could just fall asleep with out worries. The ship shook a few more times. But it was drowned out by the darkness slowly surrounding them. Suddenly they both fell forward and slammed against the opposite wall. The whole ship was rocking hard.

"Are we falling?" Renton asked in desperation and looked out the window. They both were trying to make out what in the world was going on. Finally their eyes caught the ground falling away from them out the window.

"No, we're going up. I think that was the only way to escape the battle." Eureka said and couldn't right herself from the pressure. Finally it stopped and all force deceased on them. They floated up into the air as gravity let go of its hold on them.

"Space." Renton spoke softly and his eyes were dazed. Eureka pushed off the wall and floated over to the window. Renton carefully followed behind her. They both looked down at the planet. Eureka let out a gasp as she covered her mouth. The planet was nothing like from it was before. Only parts of their old home remained. There were a few large pillars that poked out of the planet. The outer shell of the planet was partly gone. Half still remained, except it was slightly scattered. The largest part of the shell was

cracked, and looked like it would fall apart at any moment. Tears started to swell in Eureka's eyes. Renton saw this and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest. They just floated in weightlessness. It felt like nothing could touch them but the pain of the past.


	4. Chapter 4: Guilt to Guilt

**Chapter 4: Guilt to Guilt**

Renton slowly opened his eyes and looked around him. They were back on the cold hard floor again.

'I wonder how long we've been asleep.' He thought to himself and looked down at Eureka. She was still holding onto him. Her face was relaxed and at peace. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up. Slowly he stood up and looked out the window to see where they were. The Gekko-Go was back on the ground, not to far away he could see the Izumo next to it. People were scattered across the ground. There were a few workers and engineers scattered about the Izumo doing repairs.

"I guess they decided to stop and repair." Renton said quietly to himself. The door slid open behind him. Quickly he looked down at the sleeping Eureka, and then up to see Talho. She was still the same as before in her clothing, but her hair was a little more grown out. Her eyes quickly fell on Eureka, and smile gently crossed her lips.

"You guys have been gone a long time." She said and looked up at Renton. He broke his gaze and looked out the window.

"We didn't know…And it looks like there was nothing we could do. It was just strange. we woke up in the middle of a forest. We thought no time had passed at all." For a moment he paused and sighed. It was then that he noticed something in Talho's arms. A small sleeping baby lay there in its cradle. Renton stepped forward and looked at it closer. He couldn't help but smile at the innocent face.

"He's almost a year old now." Talho whispered while smiling down at her child. Renton bent down over Eureka, and gently he shook her awake. Her eyes slowly opened and she looked up at Renton.

"What is it?" She asked with a tired voice. Renton smiled and nodded towards Talho. "Talho?" She got up and spotted the baby in her arms. The drowsy state she was in instantly evaporated. Eureka reached out and stroked its smooth head.

"I wish I could say this is why I'm here… but its not." Talho's tone became more serious.

"That move we pulled earlier was risky, and we faced the consequences. There's a lot of people outside right now who are being treated. Most of the KLF's from the Izumo where badly damaged, the rest were utterly destroyed. Right now, Holland wants to speak with you two. He wants to know everything that's happened." She stopped and looked out the window. Her eyes gave away to her lack of sleep. "You should go meet with him now. The baby's asleep; I should go put him back in his crib." She smiled and gazed at the two. With small laugh she shook her head and started walking away.

Eureka and Renton didn't talk much as they walked towards the command room. When they got there they found Holland talking to Irik. It was too far away to hear exactly what the two were saying. It mostly came out in short mumbles to them, but Irik just kept nodding grimly for some reason.

"Holland?" Eureka spoke from the side of Renton. Holland turned his head and looked at the two.

"Morning you two." He said and motioned them to come down. They walked down the hard steps and stood at the side of them.

"I know you two have met up with Irik. He's one of the chief engineers." Holland turned his gaze back to Irik. Renton moved his head back slightly in surprise. Irik seemed like such an unlikely person. "There's really no point in hiding the Final Beginning. It's an LFO that was build under the same idea as the Nirvash. Although it looks nothing like the Nirvash, it does have a lot of inside aspect. We are thinking about repainting it actually." Holland suggested and nodded.

"What? You can do that!" Irik said standing up urgently. Holland shrugged and leaned back in his seat.

"We'll see." Hollan said with a satisfied smile. Renton frowned slightly and scratched his head.

"How do you know so much about the Final Beginning?" Renton asked Holland. He looked up and nodded at Irik.

"It's a project that was commissioned under the P.O.F. They couldn't hide very much from us. Irik told us pretty much everything we didn't already know." Renton nodded and Holland then let out a yawn. "Irik, I have to talk to Renton and Eureka now. If you want, you can go gather you things before we take off." Eureka looked up in slight surprise.

"What do you mean? Is he not staying with the Izumo?" Eureka asked him.

"He was the one leading over the Final Beginning production. We're going to be the ones keeping the Final Beginning for more tests. So he's staying with us. And that makes you and Renton the official test pilots." He said with a short smile. Renton and Eureka shared another look at each other. Irik stood up and left the three alone, finding it the right time to do so. After that every one was silent for a while. No one made eye contact. Finally Holland nodded to himself.

"So… You really have no memory of this past year. You don't know anything at all?" He asked.

"No, all we remember was being on that strange place. The Nivash said it was leaving the planet with the rest of the Coralians. After that we were sent back down… or sent back down to Earth." Renton finished. Holland didn't respond. He was looking down at the ground, deep in thought.

"I see… and then you just landed back down on Earth?" He asked and looked between the two. Eureka replied with a short few nods. "Hmmm… then I guess there isn't much more then that. Though, I bet you guys have a lot of questions yourselves." Holland stood up and stretched. He walked over to the railing and stared out at the Izumo.

"Yurgus said that he told you of the P.O.F." Turning around he leaned on the railing and rested his elbows on both ends. "There is no war… at least not yet. The truth is we have no reason for war. The P.O.F. and the U.F. are working under the same circumstances. It's just the U.F. leaders were too secretive, and had too much authority. Jurgens was able to convince many of the soldiers to come with him and split away from the military. It started a chain reaction that eventually dragged half of the U.F. itself to come with him. This made the top leaders angry. But sense so many left, there really wasn't anything they could do. So they just shut up and both went their ways. We're still not forgiven for the people we've killed. But some have, they saw what we were really trying to do." Ending his lasts words with a sigh, he stood up. "After what happened there is no way the U.F. are going to hold back. They want something, and we have it…" Renton and Eureka both reacted to his last words.

"We have what?" Renton asked. Holland grunted and shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about. Just know that we're glad to have you back. I almost thought you guys really did leave us… for good." He moved forward and put an arm on each of their shoulders. His eyes were soft with kindness. He gave the same look he gave Renton before, when he wanted to help save Eureka. With another small moment of silence he left them alone.

"It feels like everything's speeding by. We're being left behind in all that is happening." Eureka spoke softly. Renton nodded, not really sure what to say next. "What are we going to do now?" Renton looked over at her and shook his head.

"I'm not sure…" He said quietly.

"Wow… this will make a big hit on Ray Out." A familiar voice sounded behind them. They both turned around to see Stoner on the upper railing looking down at them. Renton opened his mouth to say something but Stoner held up his hand.

"Long enough to know about everything that is going on." Stoner looked between the two. "Of course, I can't really post anything with out your permission." He raised an eyebrow just slightly.

"Well…" Renton mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Its ok Renton, I'll keep out the other stuff. I'll just be mentioning the fact that your back… and what a lovely couple you make." He joked and turned around. "By the way, I think there was this guy looking for you. His name is Konner, he seemed really freaked out about something." He did a short wave and left.

"We should go find him… but where would he be?" Eureka asked and looked over at Renton. He shrugged and started for the door.

"I guess we start by looking out side." They both headed outside the Gekko-Go. The Gekko-Go was empty, and they were surprised that they ran into no one.

"What do you think Holland meant when he said that they want something and we have it?" Renton asked Eureka while they searched the outside area.

"I don't know, and I don't think Holland will tell us." Eureka said while looking at the ground. She wasn't hiding the fact that she was worried about something. Renton could see it in her eyes. He wanted to change the subject, to do something to stop her from thinking about the world and how much it's changed.

"Eure-" Renton was cut off by some one yelling at them in the distance. They turned around to see Kon running towards them. Shortly he stopped before trampling them over. He leaned over and put his hands on his knees. Every breath he took was heavy.

"I… heard what happened to Irik. I've been searching every where for you guys just to see for myself. I'm just glad that you guys are alright." He took another gulp of air and exhaled it. "Do you know where Irik is? I haven't seen him yet."

"The best place to search would be in the infirmary." Eureka said with a nod. "Follow us." Kon nodded as well and followed them into the Gekko-Go. His face turned to awe as he entered.

"Never actually thought I'd get the chance to step aboard this thing." He said slowly looking around at everything. Eureka frowned at his comment.

"Konner… I… Don't you hate the Gekko State?" She asked him suddenly. "I mean, you are military, and they've done so mu…" She stopped wishing she hadn't said anything at all. Kon on the other hands seemed to loose his interest in the ship.

"I wasn't apart of the military before you guys disappeared. I joined the P.O.F. directly. Though I've heard from many of the soldier that use to be apart of the U.F. Their always criticizing the Gekko State. Some of them really hate you guys. I've heard some pretty horrible stories. Though I couldn't blame you, you've really done nothing to me. If anything it was the U.F. I hated… I knew you guys were fighting for the right reasons." He finished as they stopped and Renton hesitated to open the door, it slid open. They walked into the room to see Mischa checking Irik's arm.

"So far it looks okay. You hit it pretty hard, so I suggest you don't lift anything heavy. For now you're free to leave and gather you stuff." Mischa stood up and looked over at the three. Silently she walked over to her computer and said nothing more.

"How are you buddy?" Kon asked and walked over to Irik.

"I'm alright, I just fractured the bone." He said and rubbed it gingerly. For a while they were all silent. The only sound that could be heard was the beeping of the computer.

"Guess I should be a little jealous. You guys got to ride on the Finale Beginning." Kon said trying to spark up a conversation.

"We actually gave the child a name." Eureka spoke out. Every one suddenly turned their head towards Eureka, even Mischa.

"The child?" Irik said tilting his head. Kon shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, we gave it the name Xellien." Eureka said with a smile. Irik's eyes went wide. He looked down in anger and stood up.

"I see…" Quickly he walked out of the room. Eureka looked at Kon and Renton then back at the door.

"What did I say?" She asked in confusion. Kon looked at the door and then back at Eureka.

"Where did you get that name?" He asked her.

"It was a name that just came to me suddenly. I knew I heard it from some where before." She stopped to think for a second. "Yes, I remember why now. Xellien was one of the scientists that helped me and Renton's father." She turned to Renton and looked down at the ground. "He was a good friend of your father Renton."

"Well that explains it." Kon laughed and shook his head. Eureka and Renton both at looked at him strangely. "Xellien, that man you're thinking of, is Irik's father." Eureka and Renton both shared a look of surprise. "Yeah, he died a long time ago, not to long after your own father Renton. He was obsessing of the Amita Drive. From what I've heard the U.F. tried to get him to build them another one. But he resisted and ran off. One day he was found laying in the snow, and a gun in his hand. It was official that the man killed himself. Irik always hated his father for that. But most just assumed that his father was trying to keep the information he had away from the U.F… it really wasn't fair for to him." Kon finished and shook his head gently.

"If I had know…" Eureka spoke in a bare whisper. Renton moved over and took her hand.

"It's not you fault, you didn't know." He said to her in confidence. Though she didn't seem to believe him. "I guess we better rename the LFO…"

"Maybe not… This might actually be good for Irik." Kon said and walked over to the door. Both Eureka and Renton shared a look of surprise.

"How so?" Renton asked him.

"Irik works on his own strange wave length. Sometime the best way for him to heal is to push the truth at him." Renton found that theory a little weird. Konner stepped outside the door and faced the two. "The point is he needs to heal at one point. Might as well be now." With a short shrug the door closed. Once again, Eureka and Renton were left… by them selves.


	5. Chapter 5: Reuniting the Past

**Chapter 5: Reuniting the past**

Dominic tiredly worked at the computer in the command room of the Izumo. The chaos from a few hours earlier had calmed down. The bridge itself was mostly empty with a few others typing away at the computer. During repair most systems had to be turned off incase some malfunction takes place. At the moment he was logging in the deaths of the KLF pilots that didn't make it out. It wasn't his favorite job, but he knew some one had to do it.

"Hey Jen." Dominic heard one of the few people in the room say. A girl quickly finished typing something and looked over.

"What?" She asked.

"Did you hear about the news? It's pretty big stuff." He said while leaning back in his seat and folding his arms. Dominic on the other hand forgot about what he was doing and put his attention on the guy. "Those two people that disappeared during the second summer of love… What theirs names… Renton Thurston and Eureka I think. Well, they just reappeared at the science facility, just randomly!" The girl let out a little gasp.

"Really? I've been following Ray Out for a while now. They were those two on the board. I heard that they disappeared along time ago…" The two talked for a while. Dominic at this point lost his attention. His eyes were wide and he found it hard to swallow the air. He flinched when he felt an arm on his shoulder.

"Something wrong Dominic?" Anemone asked from above him. He looked around trying to understand what she said. Quickly he shook his head and stood up. Anemone frowned, wondering what was going on. He walked over to the two talking.

"Do you know where they are?" Dominic asked the guy suddenly. They both looked at him in surprise.

"Ummm… who?" He asked him.

"Renton Thurston and Eureka!" He asked in annoyance. The guy flinched back. Anemone eyes went wide with surprise.

"I don't know, maybe over at the Gekko-Go." He said a little offended.

"Thank you!" With that Dominic charged out of the room. Anemone followed quickly after him. The girl and man looked at each other and decided it was finally time to get back to work. Anemone found it hard to keep up with Dominic's quick moving feet. He was determined to find them, and she couldn't blame him. With out a word they left the Izumo and started across the landing site to the Gekko-Go…

------

The sound of a growling stomach broke the silence. Renton looked over at Eureka who was blushing.

"A little hungry?" He asked her with an amusing smile starting to form across his face. She gave a few short nods. Not willing to hold it in he started to laugh, and Eureka shortly started laughing herself. It felt good to be able to laugh.

"Eureka… Let's not let this get us down." He said looking at her with a smile. She looked up and returned the same smile. "And let's go get something to eat, I'm starved." Standing up he helped her to her feet and they left infirmary. They'd both been in there a long while. The cooking room wasn't too hard to find. It literally only felt like a week ago, when they were cooking for the whole crew. Once they reached the room, they scurried about trying to find something to cook and eat. It came to their surprise that most of the food boxes and cans were empty.

"They sure have become lazy with out us." Eureka said and set an empty box back in the cabinet.

"Ahhh, here we go." Renton replied back and pulled out a small box of dried pasta. "Now all we need is some sort of seasoning." They both started to look harder behind all the piles of trash. Finally Eureka pulled out a jar of unused spaghetti sauce.

"Perfect." She said and put it on top of the table next to the pasta. It took a while longer to gather the clean pans and other utensils. But not long after that they were preparing themselves a good meal. The aroma of spaghetti slowly filled the room. Renton took a deep breath and exhaled it.

"Wow Eureka, this really smells great. Take a deep whiff of air." He said and waited for her reaction. She looked at him and then back down at the food. For a second she was a little confused. But then she took a deep breath and exhaled it.

"It really does smell good!" She said with a smile across her face. They both continued cooking for a while until the food was done. Then they gathered some plates, poured the pasta, and began to eat. They were lucky enough to have it turn out just right. The flavors exhausted in their mouth perfectly. Suddenly the door burst open. A young man was hanging to the wall and taking hard breaths. He looked up and spotted the two. Both Renton and Eureka noticed that it was Dominic.

"D-Dominic?" Renton asked in his confusion. Dominic didn't seem to notice. Instead he stepped forward on his tired legs and grabbed Renton's hand. He then started to shake it a little hard.

"Finally, I can thank you…" He gasped in-between breaths. Renton frowned in confusion and looked at Eureka. When Dominic caught his breath, he then shook Eureka's hand.

"I owe a lot to the both of you." He said and stood up strait.

"For what?" Renton asked him, hoping he wouldn't be offended.

"I think that if it wasn't for you two… Anemone wouldn't be who she is now. So thank Renton Thurston, and thank you Eureka." With that he bowed. The door opened up again and Anemone stepped in with a little look of annoyance on her face. She looked over at Dominic and stomped over next to him. With a grip that could crush skulls, she picked him up by the collar.

"You couldn't wait two seconds!" She yelled into his sensitive ears. His gaze went from her to them. She followed his eyes and spotted Renton and Eureka. Instantly her grip on his collar was released and he fell against the ground.

"Eureka!" She said in joy and ran forward giving her a hug. Eureka was a little overwhelmed and confused. "Where have you two been all this time? Me and Dominic have been worried." Dominic stood up rubbing the tender bump on his head.

"Yes, I'm sure that's a question every ones wondering." They both gave a look that made Eureka and Renton feel uncomfortable.

"Well…" Renton mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. Eureka and Renton for a moment quickly explained much of what happened.

"I see…" Dominic said with nod of acknowledgement. "And you're saying that, to you, no time has passed at all." Renton nodded. "I wonder what caused that. I can only imagine what it must feel like." Anemone stepped forward next to Eureka while Renton and Dominic conversed.

"So, how is it going between you and Renton?" She asked her from the side. Eureka looked at her and then Renton. She blushed slightly and smiled. Anemone got the picture and let out a little laugh. "I know how you feel." She said while looking at Dominic. Eureka noticed the dreamy look on her face.

"You really have changed Anemone." Eureka said. Anemone closed her eyes and nodded.

"I know… Dominic freed me. He saved me from the captivity of… Dewey… No matter how hard I hit him, or how I treated. He always gave me that friendly smile. He always helped me up, even when I was screaming for him to go away. And he was the only one that would protect me." She finished and looked at Eureka. "We're both lucky to find such big idiots that would love us no matter what we threw at them." She joked and they both laughed. Renton and Dominic broke away from their conversation and looked at the two with slight confusion. They both stopped laughing and continued talking. Renton shrugged and turned his attention back to Dominic.

"So the kids really are alright, and Maurice is in school?" Renton shook his head unable to believe it. Dominic nodded with a grin.

"Yes, his grades are keeping up well."

"Eureka will be happy to hear about that later." He shared a quick look at Anemone and Eureka talking. "So why have you been keeping up with our kids any way Dominic?" Renton curiously asked him. Dominic gave a quick shrug.

"I really thought it was the least I could do until you returned. You wouldn't believe the connections the P.O.F. can pick up." Renton nodded and leaned against the wall.

"Dominic, thank you. It's really has been strange for us so far. With the planet breaking apart, and the military splitting in two different directions. It feels good to finally hear some good news." Dominic only nodded and leaned against the wall as well.

"So… have you and Eureka kissed yet?" Dominic asked him. Renton, instead of flipping out, coughed and blushed slightly.

"What kind of question is that?... but yes we have." He admitted at last. Dominic revealed a small little smirk. For a long while the two just stared and Eureka and Anemone talk. Both of their thoughts were on the same idea.

"What are you two looking at?" Anemone spoke defiantly. Both of them shook their heads in surprise and stood up. Anemone laughed along with Eureka. Both Renton and Dominic's faces turned red.

"Oh no…. The food got cold." Eureka said in disappointment. She had turned around and was looking into the pot.

"Were you and Renton cooking?" Anemone asked and tilted her head. Eureka nodded and picked the pot up. "Awww, Dominic, we should cook together from now on." She said looking at him. He rubbed the back of his head letting out a nervous laugh.

"I don't know how to cook…" The words escaped his thoughts and out his mouth.

"That's ok, we'll learn together!" She said excitedly and moved across the room next to him. The main thought that cross his mind was looking forward to burnt meals for the next few months. Eureka had put the pot in the microwave. She pressed a few buttons and hit the start button. Something was nagged at the back of Renton's mind and it finally clicked.

"Oh shoot… Eureka, you didn't put the pot directly in the microwave did you?" He asked in a strange and nervous tone. Eureka tilted her head and nodded. "Quickly turn it off, unplug it!" He yelled and pointed at the thing frantically. Eureka turned around unsure of what to do. The inside was already starting to flip out in a colorful light show. "Never mind, every one just get down on the ground!" Every one in the room did as he said. The microwave seemed to be possessed. It started shaking and the inside was flashing violently with different colors. There was a loud bang and the thing exploded. The smell of smoke quickly filled the room. Fire safety sprinklers on the ceiling turned on and nicely soaked every one with water. Eventually the chaos stopped and Renton was the first to stand up and look at the mess. Pieces of pasta had stuck to the walls of the room. The microwave itself looked like it was forced open. Inside the pasta had covered everything. The pot had fallen to the floor, leaving a trail of spaghetti tsunami in its path.

"Wow… Think they'll throw us in the brig for this one?" Renton wondered in awe. Eureka stood up with hesitation. She looked around unsure if she really wanted to see what damage she had just done.

"I'm sorry…" She said and stood up fully. Disappointment and sadness was written all over her face. "I just ruined everything that was going on… I'm…" She found it hard to utter the words. Renton stopped to think.

"No, it wasn't your fault Eureka. Besides, it adds more variety to the room. I think this place was due for a make over." He said with a corny smile. Eureka started to laugh. Dominic stood up and quickly ran over to help Anemone. Once she was up they all looked at each other for a second. Each one was covered in spaghetti mesh.

"I like the new look Renton. It fits you quite well." Dominic said looking him up and down. Anemone couldn't hold in the laugh, and neither could Eureka.

"Well, I think we should hurry and clean this place up before Holland or some one finds out." The sound of a door opening was heard behind them. They all turned around to see Holland standing at the door way looking at them. There was no look of surprise on his face. Casually he walked forward to the sink and poured himself some water. Then with that he left the room with out a word.

"Ok… lets just get this done." Renton said slowly. He turned around and gathered a few trash bag and other things need for the cleaning. They all worked together with out much conversation. With a combined effort, they were able to finish the cleaning completely in three hours. Anemone rubbed her eyes and turned over on the couch. Dominic had fallen asleep next to her. Eureka was watching Renton while he fiddled with the Microwave.

"Gah… I don't think it can be fixed." He said and yawned. It was clearly late at night.

"I'm sorry Renton." She whispered quietly. Renton looked at her and sighed. He walked over and sat down next to her.

"It wasn't your fault. I wish I had reacted faster. A lot of people surprisingly don't know that metal and microwaves just don't go together. This is something we'll just look back on and laugh." He said in mellow excitement. Eureka smiled and leaned against him. Renton put an arm around her and smiled as well. It came to his realization that this would be a good time to tell Eureka about the kids. He was about to open his mouth to say something, but stopped when he saw Eureka had fallen asleep in his arms. The situation was all too comfortable. His eyes had became heavier and the relaxing sensation of sleep overpowered him…

"Morning." A voice entered his mind dimly. Renton opened his eyes to see Holland standing in front of him.

"What… Morning? No, it's at least twelve at night." Renton shook his head trying to wake up.

"Hmmm, no, it isn't." Holland said and turned around looking at the room. "You guys sure cleaned this place up. Though, it looks like we'll be needing a new microwave." He looked over at the thing like he didn't care much. "There might be one in storage some where." Renton looked behind him to see the couches were empty.

"Did Anemone and Dominic leave?" Renton asked him. Holland nodded and let out another yawn.

"Yes, they left just a little before I woke you two up. Any way, I just wanted to let you know that your room is no longer yours. I'm giving it to Irik." Holland said simply. Renton was about to stand up in complaint, he stopped himself, realizing that Eureka was still asleep.

"What? Then where am I going to sleep." He asked Holland.

"Eureka's room, it's empty for now. So you'll just sleep in there along with her." A look of surprise hit Renton's face.

"Wait, what, with Eureka?" He said a little exasperated. Holland raised and eyebrow.

"It's not like the beds can fit two people. Besides, you seem to be doing well enough together any way." He said looking between the two.

"What does that mean?" Holland laughed and left the room before Renton could continue. With a sigh he leaned back and looked at the ceiling.

"Renton?" Eureka mumbled in her slow waking.

"Oh, morning Eureka." He said with a small grin. Eureka looked around the room and closed her eyes again.

"Its morning already… did Anemone and Dominic leave?"

"Yeah they did." He said and stretched a free arm. She nodded and closed her eyes, being too tired to get up.

"I wonder what's going to happen today…" She wondered out loud. Renton only shook his head and yawned again. It was only a few minutes later until they decided to finally get up. There was a loud crackling bang out side. Renton frowned and moved over to the window to see what it was. The sky was covered in a black mist. Water droplets started to fall from above and hit the hard ground. They heard a few yells and saw men waving their arms to pack up the stuff and get inside.

"A storm…" Eureka said quietly beside Renton. He nodded and squinted at a few engineers scrambling to pick up their soaking papers. His head fell down and he sighed.

"Dang it… that means we wont be lifting off today. And I was really looking forward to going to Bellfrost." A sigh of disappointment fell from his lungs. Eureka started to look disappointed herself. "Oh well… we can wait a day I guess." He said cheering up quickly. The door again opened behind them. They both turned around to see Hap.

"Ahhh, Renton, Eureka, long time no see?" He walked forward to see what they were looking at. Another crackle of thunder muffled its way through the walls.

"Hap!" Renton said excitedly. Hap only grinned and walked over to the cabinets. He opened a few, looking around for something.

"Seems like we're out again, hmmm…" He said aloud to himself. The news that Renton and Eureka were back must have finally reached every one.

"Hap, where are the others? I haven't seen them around the ship." Renton asked him. Hap turned around while closing the cabinet.

"They've been mostly outside working on the wings and such. Moondoggie and Gidget are probably slacking off some where. Woz, Jobs, Stoner, and Ken-Goh?… well those guys are always hiding out doing something. Yesterday was just a busy day. And this one would have been too… except." He made a quick gesture to the window and the storm outside.

"Oh…" Renton replied and nodded. Hap nodded and started walking for the door. He stopped suddenly and turned to the two of them,

"Oh yeah, I just remembered. Holland said he wanted you guys down in the hanger." With that he left the room. Renton and Eureka quickly responded by heading out themselves to the Hanger. Once they got there they saw Holland, Irik, Ken-Goh, and Talho standing around Xellien. Holland turned around and spotted the two.

"There you guys are. we need you to move the Final Beginning. For some reason it won't respond to any of us." Renton and Eureka looked at each other. They quickly got down the stairs until they were with the rest of them.

"Welcome back Renton and Eureka." Ken-Goh quickly got out before they moved into business. They both quickly thanked him and turned their attention to Holland.

"Its pretty simple, all we want you to do is move the Final Beginning, and we're good. It's getting in the way of some of our things." He turned around and looked at Irik. "This thing can turn into the second form right?" Irik nodded in reply. "Good, then get to it." Renton and Eureka moved over to Xellien and hoped inside. It was in a strange position that made it hard to get comfortable. Renton reached over and turned the LFO on. It once again flared to life and the compac drive began to glow. Eureka was staring at the compac strangely. Renton frowned and looked between the two.

"What's wrong Eureka?" He asked her. Eureka broke her gaze from the compac and shook her head.

"I don't know… I just can't figure out what this extra metal extension is." She said pointing at a little metallic like box that extended out slightly from the compac. Renton noticed it too.

"Hmmm… I don't know. I've never seen that on a compac before. I'll ask Irik when we get this into the right position." Renton gripped the controls and pulled on them. The Xellien pulled its arm out and pushed against the ground. It then pulled its leg out and pushed off the ground, putting itself in an upright position.

"Ok, now put it into the second form!" Renton heard Holland yell. He nodded and worked with the controls. The LFO suddenly fell back and transformed into the car like form. He had the Xellien maneuvered its way to the spot where Holland told him to put it.

"Great, thanks, that's all we needed for now." Once they finished Eureka reached out and turned the Xellien off. They both stood up and stepped down from it. Renton noticed Irik writing something down in a note book.

"Hey Irik!" Renton said while walking over to him. "Eureka noticed something strange on the compact drive. There's this little metallic extension coming from it. We were wondering if you knew what it was?" Irik reacted in surprise but quickly shook his head. Renton couldn't help but find that a little strange.

"That's a new improvement on the compact drive. It enables a stronger connection to the rider and the LFO. We were hoping to use it soon sense it can only be incorporated into the Final Beginning. Don't worry about it, it won't cause any trouble." He said and walked away with out another word.

"That was strange…" Eureka said. Renton nodded in agreement.

"Great job you two, how did it feel to be back in a LFO?" They both shifted their attention to Talho walking towards them. She stopped shortly and waited for a reply.

"It feels pretty good." Renton said and noticed she wasn't carrying the baby with her.

"The child is very energetic. He's happy to be awake. Though, he wants to go outside and move around more." Eureka said in her own gentle excitement. Talho laughed and shook her head. "Where is your baby?" Eureka asked her out of curiosity.

"He's asleep in mine and Hollands room." Renton noticed that when ever she spoke, there was this gentle and motherly nature all about her. She really was a different person then when he first met her…

"Renton…Eureka?" A voice of confusion came from behind them. The two turned around to see four people completely soaked. Each one was holding a wave board. Renton instantly recognized the one who spoke. It was Moondoggie with Gidget. Behind them were Matthieu and Hilda.

"Oni-san?" Renton said excitedly and ran forward. Eureka followed quickly behind.

"Eureka!" Gidget excitedly expressed and ran to her. For a while they just talked about everything that had happened to them. Telling them what they told Holland.

"Wow, that's an amazing story." Moondoggie said with amazement. Renton nodded in agreement.

"I don't know Doggie, your fall was pretty exciting." Matthieu snickered and pointed at the bruise on his forehead. Moondoggie didn't hide his growing frustration.

"Why, what happened?" Renton asked with mischievous curiosity.

"Well, when it started to rain, we couldn't really keep on our boards. Moondoggie tried to impress Gidget so he stayed on and tried doing a loop in the air." Matthieu stopped to hold in his incoming laugh. "To say the least, it didn't turn out as he planned. Instead he fell to the ground with a look that I wish Stoner had been around to take." Matthieu started laugh along with Renton. Moondoggie looked away from them and closed his eyes in hurt frustration. Eureka, Hilda, Gidget, and Talho on the other hand were talking on other various subjects.

"Sooo… did you kiss him?" Gidget said poking Eureka in the cheek. She blushed and looked at the ground.

"Why is that the first thing every one asks?" Eureka replied.

"Don't avoid the question!" Hilda snickered at her. Eureka didn't respond immediately, but eventually she nodded.

"Awww." Gidget excitedly cried out. Hilda and Talho only laughed at Eureka's innocence. After some time had passed they all went to eat dinner. The microwave was still broken. Eureka explained her mistake to the others and what had happened. She felt guilty, thinking that they might be mad. But they only laughed at her mistake. They all managed to find food to cook and prepare. After that they conversed a little more until the time came to sleep. Eureka slept in her usual bed while Renton slept on the upper bunk.

"Renton?" Eureka asked suddenly. They had been lying in their beds for a while. Renton turned over on the top bunk.

"Yeah?" He replied from above.

"Oh… I was just wondering if you were still awake." She said and went silent. Renton wasn't sure he quite believed her.

"Eureka… are you ok?" He asked her in the silence. There was no reply for a long time.

"Yes… I just want to know what's next. But that's something we will have to wait for." She said from bellow him. Renton wasn't quite sure how to reply. Now that he thought about it, they had just gotten themselves into a war. But that wasn't something he wanted to think about at the moment.

"Good night Eureka." He closed his eyes and let the power of sleep overcome him.

"Good night." She said softly and fell asleep herself.


	6. Chapter 6: Betrayal at Home

**Chapter 6: Betrayal at home**

"It's been a week now…" Renton said while sitting on the couch in the cooking room. Next to him sat Eureka. They were both eating by themselves.

"Sense when?" She asked and looked over at him.

"Sense the day the microwave blew up. Heh, not that that's really important. But it was the day just before that we landed here for repairs. And now that every thing is complete, we're prepping for launch. We were planning to launch the next day right? Didn't matter since we found a problem with a cooling system." He said simply and took another bite of buttered bread.

"I hadn't realized. It just went by so fast." She took her plate and set it on the table in front of them. "When did Holland say we were taking off?" She asked him curiously. Renton looked at the ceiling and thought about it for a second. Then it clicked and he looked back down.

"Well, at about three o'clock. So… that's about in an hour." He nodded in satisfaction and set his food down as well. They both sat there looking at the ceiling.

"So we finally get to see the kids…" Eureka said softly. Renton looked over at her. He noticed a look of stress on her face. Gently he took her hand and held it. She looked back at him with a smile of gratitude.

"The kids won't hate us… Holland's going to take us there and it's going to turn out fine. I know the kids will be happy to see us." He said confidently. Eureka finally nodded herself and let the worry drain from her. The door opened up suddenly, Matthieu looked around and stopped when his eyes fell on Eureka and Renton.

"There you two are, we've been looking every for you guys. Any way, Holland said we're about to launch. He suggests that you guys get ready for the Final Beginning. Once we get far away enough from the site we're going to test it out. Though, it's going to be an hour or two. So don't worry, it's just a fair warning." With that he waved and left the room. Renton stood up and stretched his arms.

"Great, should we go say good bye to Konner and them? They say they'll be staying on the Izumo. Konner did admit that he wish he could come with us on the Gekko-Go. But Holland wouldn't let it pass, not a chance." Eureka stood up after him.

"Hmmm, I'll miss them." She said as they walked out of the room. They moved through the halls and down the hanger which led to the outside. The grounds weren't nearly as crowded as they once were. This time people were out either for recreation, or just relaxing and lounging around. Every now and then they spotted a group of engineers looking over the ships, just to make sure that nothing was missed. Konner and his group didn't seem to be any where in site. That was until they saw Jake and Klera pointing up at the Izumo. Next to them they spotted a very bored Konner.

"Guys, look, you both agree that the ship looks fine. So let's go do something interesting?" Konner said and stepped up next to them. Jake shared a quick glance, but he turned his attention back to the Izumo.

"We're almost done Kon. Just wait a little while will you?" Jake said a little agitated.

"Yeah well-" His attention suddenly diverged from them to Eureka and Renton. "Thank you!" He said running up next to them. "These guys can be fun to hang around with… but when they get to work. It's like turning off your wave board. After that there's nothing left but air to fall on." He looked back at the two seeing that they weren't even paying attention. A sigh came from his lips and he rolled his eyes. Renton laughed and so did Eureka.

"Well, we just came to say good bye." Renton said with a small grin. Konner eyes went from excited to distressed.

"You can't leave me alone like this. The Izumo has another two days planned. All the engineers are so paranoid about the ship blowing up when they start the engines." He fell to his knees. "Please don't leave me like this." Both Eureka and Renton laughed at his sarcastic nature. He couldn't help himself either and stood up. "Gahhh, oh well, it's only two days until we're on the move again." He held out his hand to Renton. Renton reached out and shook it. Then Eureka took her turn.

"Thanks Kon, we wouldn't be where we are with out you." Konner laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't know about that, but no problem. I'll miss you guys. Next time we meet we'll have to do some Reffing. These uniforms are only for show, but when I'm on a board. You'll see what I can really do." He said and grabbed the ends of his collar. Renton let out a short laugh.

"Yeah, we really should." Konner nodded and put his hands in his pocket. The sound of jets suddenly boomed behind them.

"Hmm, looks like the Gekko-Go is warming up its engines. Well, I'll see you guys later." Konner then turned around and walked up next to Jake and Klera. Eureka and Renton started back for the Gekko-Go. The power being emitted from the Gekko-Go wasn't powerful enough to move it. But just enough to refresh the engines and gears. Once they reached the Gekko-Go. They walked up the long catapult and started for the command room.

"I wonder who Konner was originally." Eureka said suddenly while they walked down the halls of the Gekko-Go. Renton looked over at her confused and shook his head.

"I don't know." He replied with a shrug.

"Well, what qualified him for the P.O.F.? Or why did he even want to join the P.O.F…" She wondered aloud. Renton wasn't really sure himself. Konner was a pretty energetic guy. Not one you would think would want to join the military of sorts. "I'll have to ask him that when we meet again." She said and tilted her head in thought. They continued down the halls until the reached the command room. Every one was in their usual spots, almost as if nothing had ever changed. Except for Moondoggie in Talho's spot. Which now that he noticed, Talho wasn't to be seen.

"Ok Moondoggie, ease the flaps now." Moondoggie quickly nodded and worked with the controls. A reply quickly came from the comm., it was Job's voice.

"I'm not getting any faulty feed back. The engines, flaps, and… everything else looks good." The comm. abruptly shut off. Holland nodded in satisfaction and leaned back in his seat.

"Good, then I think it's time to take off. Earlier I saw Renton and Eureka leave the ship. Moondoggie, Gidget, go look them ou-"

"No, we're right here." Renton said while stepping down the stairs behind Eureka. They both stopped next to the command seat.

"Oh, then we're ready for launch." Holland said with little surprise. "It's time to get this thing back where it belongs… in the sky." Moondoggie got the obvious command. He smirked and gripped the controls lightly.

"Its all clear in space, this birds ready to fly!" Gidget said excitedly. Moondoggies pulled back on the controls. The Gekko-Go's back jets exploded with immense power. It slowly gained speed until it suddenly shot forward. People on the ground lost their attention in what they were doing and looked at the event. The Gekko-Go lifted into the air and turned. It then flew over the Izumo as a last send off. A few people on the ground waved their arms in excitement.

"And that's that." Ken-Goh said from his station, smiling to himself. Eureka and Renton were holding on tightly to the railing. They weren't exactly planning on the sudden force of power.

"Good, then it's off to Bellfrost we go." Holland said while standing up. Eureka and Renton caught their footing. Holland stopped by them and looked between the two curiously. "You guys ready for this?" He asked with sincerity. The look in his eyes gave way to a serious reflection on the two. Renton looked at Eureka who nodded back at him. Holland smiled gently and turned around walking away. "By the way guys, we test the Xellien out in an hour." He said just before the door closed behind him.

"Hmmm… what should we do now then?" Renton asked Eureka. She thought about the many possible things they could do.

"Let's go visit the Xellien." She said and started walking for the doors. Renton liked the idea and followed after her.

-----

Dominic sat at on of the command computers silently. His eyes were moving across the screen quickly but with smooth precision. The bridge was livelier then it had been a week ago. Every one was readying the ship for tomorrow. It was finally time to get on the move again.

"Dang it…" He said after entering a code in. It was instantly rejected with out hesitation.

"What is it this time?" The familiar voice of Anemone came from beside him. "You've been sitting here all day Dominic, the Gekko-Go took off a while ago." Dominic lifted his head when she said that. He would have really liked to have said good bye to Renton and Eureka.

"Shoot… I'm just really curious about this… Irik Livings. He's going on board with the Gekko-Go. And Captain Jurgens won't tell me why…" He turned around in his chair to face Anemone. "Apparently his father was a partner of Adrock Thurston. His father's name being…" Irik turned around and looked down at the screen. "Xellien Livings."

"Yes…so?" Anemone said looking at him strangely. He looked at the screen for a few more moment and then turned his attention back to her.

"It's just strange… I mean… there's no record of his son on here. This is an old data file that belongs to the U.F. force. All records were previously saved. When I searched for him on the updated information, the P.O.F. archives, he popped up immediately. So then his information must have been erased from the U.F. archives. But then why?" Dominic asked himself more then Anemone. She looked at him dully and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe he just wasn't recorded into the archive." She looked down at the screen herself. Dominic shook his head instantly.

"Unlikely… The family of that kind of scientist would be archived for sure. So, maybe they weren't removed. But rather just moved…" He said with a tinge of curiosity. Anemone wasn't really sure what he was getting at.

"I thought the U.F. archives held everything?" She asked him. Dominic looked back at the screen once more, his face was serious.

"No, there is another sector of information that I only found about a while ago, just before Dewey died." He stopped and then continued. "The archive was originally to be only viewed by the sages. When Dewey took over, he gave me specific privileges to use it. I was only able to briefly look over some information before I was signed back onto the Izumo. The information was held at the city… Where the tower extends all the way into space." He finished deep in his own thoughts. Anemone was slightly surprised. She had no idea that information like that had existed.

"What information was held in there?" Anemone asked him. Dominic looked at her and then back at the screen.

"Everything…"

-----

"Ok, you guys are ready for this right? The board you're going to use was a redesign of a KLF board. It doesn't fit the lay outs of the Final beginning. So don't pull any stunts." Hollands voice spoke through the comm. of the Xellien.

"Yes, everything is ready for the test run." Eureka replied back into the comm. The catapult in front opened slowly.

"Good, then you guys are cleared for the launch. Just try to keep up with the Gekko-Go." Holland cut off the comm.. The catapult extension finally stopped, and all light turned green.

"Ready to fly…" Renton said under his breath. He gripped the controls and shot the Xellien forward. Little static bolts danced behind the quick moving gears that launched the Xellien from the Gekko-Go. It quickly pulled out its board and curved with the winds. Bright green waves of trapar splashed from the edges of the board. Then it did a few more curves until it was sailing right next to the Gekko-Go. Eureka was looking over the read outs carefully.

"Everything's good, no strange or faulty feedback. How long are we going to go at this?" Eureka asked.

"Only for about thirty minutes. We want you to get use to the new control settings. And long enough for Stoner to get a few good shots of you." Eureka nodded and looked out the window. That's when she noticed something strange. She looked out the viewing and down bellow them.

"Hey, could you guys get in front of the ship. I would really like to get a good shot of you guys moving towards the shell cliffs." Stoner's voice came over the comm.. Eureka's eyes went wide.

"What's wrong?" Renton asked her. The look on her face started to worry him.

"Renton, we're moving up towards the shell." She said almost too quietly to hear. Renton frowned in his confusion and looked forward. Then he quickly looked back behind them. It suddenly dawned on him in what she had meant. In front them they saw a large cliff, massive, beyond compare to anything they'd ever seen. And behind them laid the planet earth. They were slowly moving away from the planet and up to their existing home. The outer shell of earth.

"Hey, are you guys going to move out in front or what?" Stoner's voice came over the comm.. Renton shook his head and grabbed at the controls. The Xellien swerved to the side, putting them selves directly in front of the Gekko-Go. Renton looked over at Eureka who was still looking forward in shock.

"Eureka…" Renton said in slow words. She looked over at him and then down at her hands. He reached over with his own hand and took hers. The Xellien moved on for another thirty minutes. Irik aboard the ship had taken all the recordings he'd wanted. With that the Xellien turned around and moved back into the ship. Once everything was settled and docked, they hopped out of the LFO. Both decided to head over to Eureka's room.

"Eureka, me and Dominic were talking. And he-" He stopped and noticed Eureka was no longer with him. Turning around he saw her standing still looking at the floor. "Eureka?" He asked walking towards her. She suddenly fell to her knees. Renton felt a jolt run through him, his feet went auto and he ran forward. "Eureka!" He urgently yelled and crouched down next to her. She fell forward into his arms, not finding the strength to keep herself up.

"Renton… I suddenly feel so tired." She whispered next to his ear. The weakness in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. Carefully he leaned her back and put his arm under her legs. Then when the position was right he lifted her up.

"I got to get you to Mischa." He turned around and started down the hall. His adrenaline was surging through him. 'Eureka what's wrong… what in the world is happening?" He said and barely stopped in front of the infirmary. The door slid open and he ran inside. His luck hadn't run out on him yet, Mischa was sitting at the computer taking some readings. She turned around to see what was going on. Instantly she stood up when she saw Eureka, though no stress or worry was in her eyes.

"Put her down on the bed, and what happened?" She asked him with utter calm. Renton did as he was told and gently laid her down on the medical bed. Mischa walked forward and looked her over.

"I don't know, she just suddenly fell to her knees. She said something about being tired. It has to be more then that right?" He asked her, the stress building in his voice. Mischa didn't respond, in the mean time she raised an eyebrow and looked over the computer screens. Renton waited impatiently, wanting his answers now. Finally Mischa sighed and shook her head.

"Renton, nothings wrong with her. As far as I can tell she's just physically fatigued. The past week has been overwhelming for the both of you. Maybe you should… just rest." She said looking over at Eureka, who was now sitting up. Renton spotted this and quickly ran next to her.

"I'm sorry… I'm fine." She said feeling her head and standing up. Now that Renton thought about it, he was feeling tired as well. But when she fell to her knees, it surprised him. She seemed to be looking better, her legs were stronger. "I just want to sleep." She admitted and started for the door. Renton looked over at Mischa. The two looked at each other until Mischa nodded. Then Renton left, following along side of Eureka.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked her. She nodded and kept walking. They reached her room and Eureka laid down on the bed. Renton sat on the bed on the other side of the room. He stared at her for a while, an unnerving feeling in his stomach. He dropped his head in thought. The desire for sleep was starting to overcome him. Even the thought of leaning back against the wall surged at his muscles. Eureka opened her eyes and looked over at Renton. She saw the worry and fatigue drowning his energy.

"Renton…" He looked up at her. They held a gaze for a long time until Renton nodded and turned on his bed. Laying down felt better then he thought. It almost felt as if his muscles were rejoicing in the need of rest. But his worry for Eureka was still rolling around in the back of his mind. He turned his head to gaze at her one last time. It was obvious that she had fallen asleep. Her mouth was slightly open, and her breathing had slowed. The want of rest took his body, and he fell asleep…

"Renton." The voice suddenly broke into his mind. It was calming and sweet. He opened his eyes to see Eureka standing over him. "We're here." She said with a smile across her face. The fatigue that once resided in her eyes was gone, but now remained a burning excitement. Renton sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes. "Holland came in a little while ago. He told me we're only five minutes away from Bellfrost." Renton smiled at the thought. Turning on his bed he stood up next to Eureka. The two left the room and headed down to the hanger. Once they got there they found Holland and others there too. Speedily they ran down the stairs next to the lot. Holland looked up and then back down.

"You two, me, and Matthieu are all going down. The others will stay with the ship. Also, we're keeping this thing in the air. Reason being we have to start moving again." Holland was stressing on something. Every word he spoke seemed unsure. With a deep sigh he nodded to no one but himself. "Look Eureka… Renton… We can't stay here, and we're constantly on the move. This time though, you're not coming with us." Eureka eyes went wide in surprise. But there was also a look of hurt. Renton couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Why?" Renton asked.

"Because…" Holland paused for a second thinking. "It's no longer safe on the Gekko-Go. Things are changing, and its going to happen fast. We can't let Maurice, Maeter, and Linck on the ship. And you guys will be safe in Bellfrost, now that the military base converted to the P.O.F. The U.F. no longer has a reason to come after you. You've suffered enough, and did more then enough for the world." Holland finished with hesitation.

"But… what about the Xellien?" Eureka asked him with hope.

"It's going to be put back at a facility and worked on." He turned around and started walking towards one of the port doors. Matthieu walked forward handing both Eureka and Renton a board. Every one in the group didn't make much eye contact with them. It felt like being stabbed in the heart. The crew was doing it for them, and Renton knew it. But the pain in his chest was growing. Uncomfortably they said good bye to the crew and followed after Holland. They jumped out a small hatch, flying down to the city bellow. The ride there was silent, but Renton's mind was racing. The sparklingly streaks across the sky shined in the night. Finally the four curved and swooped to the ground. They all came to a short stop. Renton started to feel tired again, but this time from the thoughts on his mind. It was all going by so fast and complicated for the both of them. Just after catching up, it felt like he was falling behind again.

"We'll stay for a while longer. Then we got to head out." Holland spoke as if nothing had changed. Renton and Eureka didn't respond, they only walked towards the house. Matthieu stepped forward next to Holland. "They want to stay with us, but they know they can't."

"It's better for all of us. They need to stay here." Matthieu replied to him.

"I hope so." His voice sounded unsure as it came. The two decided to follow Eureka and Renton. Once they caught up with them, they found the two looking at the door oddly.

"What's wrong?" Holland asked. Renton looked back and then at the window.

"I'm not sure, it looks like the place is empty." Holland frowned and started to pace around the house. All the lights were off as he could tell. Once he reached around back to the group he stopped.

"Try opening the door." He pointed at the knob. Renton complied and reached down. The door knob opened with ease. He let go unexpectedly.

"What in world?" Matthieu said from behind them. They all moved in and looked about. The place seemed completely empty. Every room they check only held lifeless objects.

"Maybe they're out." Renton said slowly after meeting back up with the three. Holland thought about it for a second, and then nodded.

"It is possible that they just forgot to lock the door." He didn't sound to sure when he said it. "Well, they might be some where here. Let's check the outside. Matthieu come with me. Eureka and Renton go look out back." With that the two groups split up. Eureka and Renton headed out back. The grass was moist from a passing storm. Renton couldn't help but notice the glow in Eureka's wings. It cast the area about with a mystical feel. And the color of the soft moon blended with it perfectly. He suddenly found himself dazed just looking at her. She started walking up the hill and reached the top, the moon shining directly behind her. She turned around and looked at Renton, tilting her head in confusion.

"Renton?" She asked him. He shook his head and laughed. Then quickly picked his feet up to catch up with her. It was then that he noticed something strange about the moon. There were words written on it.

"What?" Renton said when he suddenly realized its meanings. Eureka couldn't hold in a laugh. She walked over next to Renton and grabbed his arm gently. She then leaned against him, letting the moon reflect off her eyes angelically. He found himself lost in them. Their trance was broken by a sudden yell of words.

"Renton, Eureka, come here!" Matthieu yelled from bellow the hill. Eureka broke her gaze and looked down. The two started down, but Eureka stopped suddenly. Renton didn't notice, and Matthieu had already gone in the house. A strange sound had caught her ears. It was the sound of talking.

"Maybe…" She thought to herself and started walking to see what it was. She walked around the hill a little farther. The sound got louder, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. Then after a small dip she found a group of men all talking. They were wearing uniforms that belonged… to the U.F. She wasn't sure what to do, but run. She turned around and started to run. But an arm briefly grabbed hers. The force reflected and bounced her back.

"Well, didn't think we would catch you so soon." An older man said. He had a black beard and a cold face. He gazed down at Eureka with no interest. The group of men from before popped up over the hill to see what was going on.

"Hey, what did you find Captain?" One of the men spoke up. The older man looked up dully. They then spotted Eureka.

"Just keep a watch on her, we're about to spring the trap on the rest of them." He turned around and started walking away. Eureka was about to make a break for it, but she was quickly surrounded by the men.

"Well she's a pretty one." A man smirked as he talked. Another stepped forward with anger. He reached down and furiously picked Eureka up by her wings. A stinging pain shot through her back.

"I know this one… she killed my family with that… that Nirvash." He said with disgust and threw her against the ground. Some of the others started to act up as well.

"Yeah, she also killed one of my friends… my best friend. He never did anything wrong, he didn't deserve to die." They all started to in close on her. She could almost feel their dark fury cover her. Another reached down and picked her up by the wings. Then they tossed her down one side of the hill. All of them laughed in satisfaction. Eureka rolled down and slammed against the ground. The wind was knocked out of her, and the burning in her eyes was building. She already felt the warm tears fall down her cheek. But it wasn't just the pain, it was the guilt. It was all a massive spin of confusion and pain. She stood up unsure of what to do. Whether to fight back or just let them hit her.

"Please…" She whispered weakly. The men paused for a second in surprise. But it quickly faded with a wave of laughter. They slowly advanced on her.

Renton, Holland, and Mathieu were still at the house. Axel Thurston was talking with Holland when the other two arrived. A look of disappointment flushed through his grandfathers old eyes.

"Grandpa?" Renton asked noticing the strange look.

"I'm sorry Renton, I'm a failure." The words were all too familiar to him. His father spoke it, and so had he. At that moment the grandfather stepped aside, revealing a man holding a gun.

"This is good, then the informants were right. You guys really would come back here." The guy laughed and waved his gun. They raised their arms and followed the specified direction. Three more men stepped forward from behind him. One was holding a group of hand cuffs. "Cuff that guy first." He said and pointed to Holland. The man nodded and started walking forward. When the man got close enough, Holland reacted with speed. He shot forward and grabbed the man. He then twisted him around and shoved him in the others. They all fell; Holland reached down and picked up the gun pointing it at them. The urge to shoot was building in his finger. But taking a breath he slowed down. The men stood up and slowly put their arms in the air.

"Eureka's not here. Matthieu, Axel, tie these men up." Holding the gun carefully, Holland walked forward and picked up the other guns. He hand one to each of them, including Renton. Matthieu nodded and so did Axel. Renton noticed a look of guilt on his grandfather's face. He wanted to say something, but now wasn't the time. Holland ran out and Renton followed behind quickly. Holland stopped and looked around.

"Go around the hill there, I'll check down into that valley." He said and pointed at the turn. Renton nodded and started for the hill. Quickly he turned around the hill. The energy inside him was quickly building.

"Eureka." He said under his heavy breath. "She has to be alright." A sudden yell pierced his ears. The voice made him stop in his steps. Instantly he turned around and ran down that direction. His feet slamming against the ground, knowing that Eureka was close. He then fell upon the sick situation. The group of men were literally torturing her. Two were pulling on her delicate wings. One kicked her in the stomach, and in all the pain, they just laughed. Renton felt a fury he hadn't felt in a long time. But this was different, it burned massively. His body took over. He ran down the hill with incredible speed. Then he took the gun and slammed it against one of the men's heads. The guy fell over, out cold from the attack. The others lost their attention on Eureka and looked at Renton. A look of fury, vengeance, and chaos burned inside his eyes. For a split second they felt a wave of fear, but the situation was quickly reanalyzed. It was four on one. Two started to raise their guns, but Renton didn't give them a chance. He jumped at one, knocking the gun out of his hand. The other quickly raised his gun and aimed it at Renton. But another hand gripped his tightly. It squeezed with intense pain, until the strength in his hands failed him. The gun dropped and he received a powerful kick in the stomach. Eureka had taken the man down with excellent precision. When it came to Renton, she knew the right path to take. The training as an S.O.F. kicked in. Suddenly she had become a killing machine. She jumped at the other man quickly snapping his arm. Then she ducked from a swift kick aimed at her. Swiftly she jumped up like a dart and kicked the man in the chin. He fell over with out another thought. Renton quickly stood up and turned around, ready to take on anything else. But it soon came to his realization that… they were all knocked out.

"Eureka?" He asked in utter confusion. She turned around regaining her grip on reality. Her eyes fell down to the bodies on the ground. Then she looked up at Renton and his face of surprise.

"I… it…" She muttered trying as hard as she could to get out the words. Renton immediately ran forward and embraced her in his arms. His warm essence evaporated her worry. A smile softly grew across her face and she let him hold her.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." He said with a tone of guilt. She shook her head and held him tight.

"No… thank you Renton." For a long while they just held each other. Suddenly the sound of gun clicked. They both turned around to see Holland holding his gun. When he saw it was just them, he slowly lowered it. The banging sounds of guns could be heard behind the hill. Holland quickly turned around.

"Matthieu, just get up here. There's no point now." He yelled down. Two people suddenly emerged from the other side, shooting their guns bellow. It was Matthieu, and Axel Thurston. When Axel spotted Renton, he took a quick breath of surprise. The relief overwhelmed his old and tired body.

"Renton." He said and ran down quickly. They gave each other a quick hug.

"Where are the kids?" Renton asked him suddenly. At that point Axel suddenly found it hard to make eye contact.

"I'm sorry Renton, they took the kids away with out warning. They knew you would come here, and they wanted me to lure you into the perfect position. I… I refused at first, and then they threatened to kill the kids. After that I followed every order given. Luckily, they didn't suspect this." The old man smirked, only causing more creased wrinkles in his face. He reached in his vest and pulled out a small black device with a button on it. His finger pressed the button with a bare click. Behind the hill there was a loud bang. The whole ground shook, and smoke rose into the air. Renton couldn't help but smile at his clever grandfather.

"Good, this gives us enough time to escape with the boards... I've already communicated with the Gekko-Go, they know what's going on. They'll make a brief dive in. That will be our best chance to get out of here." He finished and started walking. They all started to follow except for Eureka who grabbed at Axel's arm. The old man turned around in confusion. He looked down at Eureka, tears swelling in her eyes.

"Please Axel… where is my children?" She asked in desperation. Just looking at her made him weak. He felt as if this was his fault.

"I…. They took the kids to the command center." He said and shifted his gaze to the large and dark structure. Eureka shifted her attention between it and him. Out of sudden decision she jumped up and ran for it. Axel reached out to stop her, but she was already speeding off. Renton turned around to see what was going on, and he noticed Eureka running off.

"Where is she going?" Renton yelled and chased after her.

"She's heading to the command center, because thats where the kids are. I'm sorry Renton, I couldn't stop her." Axel spoke quickly and firmly. Renton nodded and kept following her.

"Eureka, stop, there's no way your going to do it on your own!" He yelled at her from behind. She reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.

"No… they need me, and I'm not going to let them go." She told him with an aching voice. Renton couldn't believe how fast she was. But her steps were becoming wobbly and weak. The depression was starting to surge through her body. Finally she slowed down enough that Renton jumped forward and grabbed her. They fell to the ground. Eureka was trying desperately hard to get out of his tight embrace.

"I can't let you die…" He said to her quietly. It then hit her like a brick wall. The tears were no longer held back. Like stream they fell from her eyes. Renton tried to comfort her, but the pain was hard in her heart.

"I can't leave them." She said with a quivering voice. Renton helped her to her feet and gave her his smile of confidence.

"I promise you they'll be safe. But if you try to go now, all they'll have is a dead mother." She flinched, not liking the word he spoke. But at the same time, they were true… The painful truth to her. Slowly she nodded and they walked back to the rest of the group. Axel looked down at the ground. Holland and Matthieu held the boards out to them. They each took one except for the Axel.

"I don't know how to reff." He told them in ignorance. Holland nodded and held out his long board.

"Just hold on tight." The old man looked between the board and then Holland. He finally understood and sighed in annoyance. With a short nod he stepped behind Holland. In the distance the sound could be heard. The burning engines of the Gekko-Go sped towards them. Holland raised his hand and made the gesture. They all ran forward and launched off on the board.

"I said hold tight old man!" Holland yelled in his impatience.

"I'm doing the best I can. It's a small board, it wasn't designed for two!" Axel yelled back. The two argued only for a little longer, until the time finally came. The catapult door to the Gekko-Go was open, and ready to pick them up. They all swerved right inside. The door closed and they were yet again running away from the chaos about to start. They all had a hard time landing with the immense speed they were heading and with the Gekko-Go already coming the opposite direction fast. With short luck they had barely enough trapar to turn and drop off the boards.

"That was exciting." Matthieu said sarcastically while standing up. He then wiped himself off. Axel and Holland stood up as well.

"There were many things you could have done to improve that situation." Axel spoke with a tone of arrogance. Holland gripped his hand into a tight fist. With all his might he kept the boiling anger from surging through him. After a few slow breaths Holland nodded and looked over at Eureka and Renton. Eureka eyes looked lifeless, and Holland had no doubt why.

"I'm going to my room." She said and walked away. Renton looked between her and Holland.

"Don't worry, you kids have done enough." Renton nodded and quickly headed for Eureka's room. He ran down the hall and stopped while turning to the door. It slid open and he stepped inside. Eureka was on the bed, lying down, and covered in her blanket.

"Eureka." Renton said and walked over to her bed. She gave no response, not this time. With a sigh he turned to his own bed. He started for it when he suddenly heard a shuffling sound. Turning around Eureka had suddenly wrapped her arm around him tightly. Tears where falling down her face. Renton instantly wrapped his own arms around her.

"Renton… I miss them so much. I just want to hear their voices again. The sound of them running about and playing around. Renton… please help me." She started to cry into his shoulder. Renton helped her back to his bed and they sat down.

"Eureka… I know we'll get them back, no matter what. There's no way I'm going to let the U.F. take our children away." He held her tightly as she held him. Slowly the cries stopped and she looked up. Although she had been crying, her eye's still mystically reflected into his own.

"Thank you." She said and put her head forward. They then kissed for a long moment. Slowly she pulled her head back and looked up into his comforting eyes. Then she leaned her head again his shoulder. The two sat there with a soft feeling. Worries of the world were draining at last. And for that split second, as long as they were together, they could forget the world. Everything yet again gathered in darkness around them, and they fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Murdered Desires

**Chapter 7: Murdered Desires**

Renton slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room. He knew where he was, and he knew what was going on. Looking down at his shoulder he saw Eureka's calm face. They were both still sitting on his bed, lying against the wall. She was softly cusped in his arms. Looking out the window he noticed that it was pretty early in the morning. The dark sky was barely letting new light spill from the horizon.

"Dawn." He whispered silently to himself. An idea instantly struck his mind. 'I could make breakfast for Eureka… she'd love that!' excitedly he exerted in his thoughts. The only problem was trying not to wake her up. She basically had him pinned against the wall, and large movements would definitely wake her. For a few second he looked about trying to figure out a soft way of getting out. Finally there was an opening that spotted his eye. As carefully as he was able, he softly pulled his feet in and stood up on the bed. But he used his hands to keep her from falling back. Then ever so gently, he laid her down against the bed. Reaching to one side he pulled the blanket over her. Then slowly he started to walk away. He made it out of the room with a clean get away.

"Perfect, now I can make the breakfast." He quietly and gleefully told himself. Once he made it to the cook room, he noticed that the food stocks had been refilled. Finding things were once again, a piece of cake. "Hmmm… What can I make Eureka… Hey, what's this?" Squinting, he reached up and pulled down a blue box. It was a box of pancake batter. "I wonder if Eureka has ever had these." He curiously thought. Finally he decided this would be the breakfast to serve. Searching through the cabinets once again, he pulled out a pan and the other needed things to make the meal. It was only thirty minutes later until everything was ready. "Good, now just to make it back with out waking any one else." His eyes shifted to the window to see that the peak of the sun was slowly rising. A few blurry clouds drifted bellow them. Farther down a sparkling lake could be seen. For a brief second he admired the surrounding, but he then realized what he was doing in the first place. Picking up two plates with a few pancakes, a bottle of syrup, and rectangular shaped butters melting on the top, he headed out for the door. His feet slowly pressed against the ground as he made his way back to their room. Once inside he saw Eureka still asleep on the bed, except now facing the wall. Carefully he set the plates down and moved over to her. Right when he was about to wake her up, he suddenly noticed a strange expression on her face. It was full of stress, and tears were falling down her cheek. She had folded her arms as if some cold wind was blowing against her.

"Eureka?" He worriedly reached down and gently shook her awake. Quickly she opened her eyes and looked around. Her breath was quick and quiet. "Eureka, what wrong?" Renton asked her urgently. She shifted her gaze to Renton in surprise, as if not realizing he was there, or as if surprised to see him there.

"Renton, you're here, I think I had a nightmare. At first everything was fine, and the kids were there. We were all there, back together again. But then suddenly they all went cold and fell to the ground. I ran to them, leaving you for only a second. Then I reached down to stare into their lifeless eyes, cold and dark eyes. But inside them… I saw my own eyes… Lifeless. I turned around to see you were gone, and then the area faded around me. The long fields of grass that surrounded us were gone, but instead it was filled with the cold dead leaves of coming winter. It was dark, and there seemed to be no end. Then…" She paused for a second looking around. The warm arms of Renton wrapped themselves around her again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you." His voice spoke softly beside her. She hugged him back. Lightly Renton let go, there was a wide and satisfied smile on his face. "By the way, I brought us breakfast!" Excitedly he turned around and picked up the plates. Eureka couldn't help but smile, with him around, she always felt protected. But she also realized what he was trying to do for her. To just help her calm down, and remind her that everything will be alright. But the thought was still in the back of her mind. Renton handed her a fork and then took his own.

"You ever had pancakes before?" Renton asked her curiously. She stared at the lumpy disks and cocked her head.

"I don't think so, are they good?" She wondered and poked at it. Renton couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, their common courtesy for breakfast. Well, it really depends on your taste. But go ahead and take a bite." He nodded at her food. She reached down with the fork, cut it, and then took a bite. The pancakes were still warm, and they melted inside her mouth. The syrup gave a perfect blend with the fresh dough.

"These are delicious." She said holding her cheek which softly stung from the sweet flavor. Renton gave a wide smile of satisfaction.

"As I thought they would be." Eureka laughed and the two ate. For a long while they talked about random things. The light from the window was starting to become brighter. By the time they had finally finished, the sun had completely passed the horizon.

"Did I tell you what Dominic said?" Renton asked Eureka while taking both plates. Eureka thought about it and shook her head. He thought this would be a good time to tell her about the kids. Then it suddenly hit him. He hit his forehead randomly. Eureka flinched in surprise.

"Renton?" She asked him in worry. Renton shook his head.

"I'm sorry, just can't remember what he said." With a short nervous laugh he stood up, completely ignoring that he said anything. 'Idiot, mentioning the kids at a time like this.' He thought to himself bitterly. Eureka shrugged and stood up after him.

"Should we check out to see if any one else is awake? After we put the dished away that is." Eureka spotted the idea to Renton. He nodded and they head down to the kitchen. They quickly washed off the plates and started to roam the ship. The place still seemed surprisingly empty.

"That can be right. I'm sure they would be up at least by now." Renton said in his confusion. Eureka nodded in agreement.

"Let's check the bridge, maybe something is going on there." Eureka suggested. They turned around and headed towards the command room. It didn't take long to reach it. Right before they opened the door, they could already hear conversation on the inside. It was Holland's voice, and another that Renton couldn't recognize at the moment. Walking in they saw the place was mostly full with its usual occupants.

"I see… so the command center was completely under cover?" Holland asked while resting his head against his hand.

"Not completely, a lot of them were captured and held hostage. Their still there, right now." The other voice came back. Renton instantly recognized it as Captain Jurgens.

"Dang it… Just what we need, first the kids, and now more." Holland gritted his teeth. "Idiots… they want to start another war." He slammed his fist down on the arm rest. "What are you planning to do Yurgus?" Holland asked him. There was a long pause.

"I'm going into rescue them. I won't leave my men behind." The voice was slightly grim. Holland smirked and shook his head.

"I thought so, I wish I could come and help. But I cant, not with th-" Holland was cut by Eureka.

"No, we have to go back. Mine and Renton's kids are there!" She said urgently and hopefully. Holland grunted, hoping not to deal with this. Renton stepped forward beside Eureka.

"Eureka… we can't…" Holland said simply.

"Why?" She asked him in disappointed confusion.

"Because…" His voice gave way to nothing. Renton could tell there was something more to say, but no one would tell them what.

"But…" Eureka muttered trying to think of something else to say.

"Eureka, we can't go back. We're holding something too important, we're holding him!" Holland pointed his finger at Irik, who was standing at the railing. Every one turned in surprise at Irik. He looked down at the ground, completely uncomfortable with the situation. Renton looked at Irik in bewilderment. Eureka was also sharing the same expression. For a long moment there was only silence. Finally Irik righted himself and left the room quickly. Holland let out a sigh of annoyance and slammed his fist again.

"We're not going to the command center, that's final!" He almost yelled and looked out the view port in silence. Eureka turned around and started to walk away. Renton looked back at her, and then at Holland. He wanted to know more of what was going on… why it was going on. With only a few moments of hesitation he quickly caught up with Eureka. She was walking by herself, silently. When he caught up with her, he could already see the tears in her eyes forming. Renton looked down at the ground, thinking of all that was going on with her. It wasn't fair for her, not in the least.

"Eureka, I know that Holland will eventually take us to save the kids. Just now isn't the time." He said slowly, thinking his words over before he spoke them.

"But… they must be so scared right now." She said stopping in the middle of the hallway. Renton stopped beside her. "They were taken away by force. And after being away from us so long… it's not fair." She said, her voice getting weaker as it went. Renton suddenly stepped forward and submerged her in his arms.

"Eureka… there's nothing more I can say, but that I promise you. That no matter what, we'll get the kids back. So Eureka, please, don't be like this." He said holding her tightly. There came no response. He felt a finger tapping his shoulder lightly. Turning around he saw Irik holding some papers.

"How long have you been standing there?" Renton asked him suspiciously.

"Don't worry…" Irik responded and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Look, I was talking with your grandfather, Renton. And I have an open channel with Konner. We're almost out of range, and time. So I'm going to have to ask you not to ask questions, I'll just talk." Eureka and Renton looked at him in confusion. He started to walk away rather quickly. They both hesitated but then followed behind. "I've only been talking with him for a few minutes, Konner that is. I told him what going on. He says rescuing the prisoners is going to take everything they've got. They won't be able to find your children." Eureka felt hope building, but it quickly faded with the last words.

"But there is another way, and it concerns you guys." Irik stopped and turned down the corner. Eureka and Renton still followed closely. "Konner said that with the help of Jake and Klera, they'll be able to get you guys in." Renton looked up in surprise. But Eureka was actually smiling through her wet cheeks.

"How?" Renton asked him.

"First thing we need to do is get you off the Gekko-Go unnoticed. With the help of you grandfather, that is very possible." He stopped and turned into a room. It was Renton's old room, and it was filled with papers. There was a small table with a computer situated near the wall. Irik sat down at the seat and pointed to a black little box. It looked to be a comm. system.

"Konner, I'm back, and I have Renton and Eureka with me." Irik spoke into the comm..

"Hey guys, how's it on the Gekko-Go?" The cheery voice came back.

"Idiot Konner, stop screwing around and tell them the deal." They heard Klera's voice dimly in thee back round.

"Right, well, there is a small access door near dock seventy three. It's never guarded, or at least from what we can tell. Jake and Klera figured out a way to crack open the door system. They already have a stable connection with the computer. But their not sure how long they can hold it before it's noticed. You guys should be able to get in." Konner finished and waited for their response.

"But how do you suppose we get over there?" Renton asked, Eureka couldn't help but find that a little problem as well. Irik shook his head.

"I told you guys, we're going to use the catapult. And you're going to take the Final Beginning."

"You didn't say that, you only told us that my grandfather figured out how to bypass us off the ship. That doesn't mean we won't be picked up on radar." Renton wasn't sure this thing was going to work out to well. Eureka on the other hand was willing to take anything given.

"Well, we found a way around that to. Look, we can get you there. That's not a problem… it's now your play. Do you want to go or not?" Irik asked raising an eyebrow. Renton couldn't help but find this a little surprising. Eureka took a sudden step forward.

"Yes, we'll do it!" She said and turned to Renton excitedly. Renton stopped and thought about it.

"Irik, why are you helping us?" He asked him, not really suspecting an answer.

"Because it's my fault their in this kind of situation. The U.F. is after me, and they shouldn't have your kids…" He said and looked at Renton with out breaking eye contact. Renton stopped to stare back, wondering what was going through his mind. Finally he smiled and reached out to shake his. Irik looked down in surprise at the hand. Slowly he took it and shook it.

"Thank you Irik." Irik wasn't suspecting the gratitude in the least. He was completely surprised at Renton's reaction. But he nodded and stood up.

"You're… You're welcome, but you guys have to go now. I'll be controlling some of the other systems through my own computer. Axel is waiting for you down in the hanger." Both Eureka and Renton nodded. They dashed out the door, quickly running down the hall to the hanger. They knew that they only have a little time. And they needed to take advantage of the time they had. Once they reached the hanger, they spotted Axel looking the Xellien over. He looked up and spotted the two running towards them.

"Get in, we're launching immediately." He said and climbed down from the LFO. He started to walk away until he felt some one suddenly give him a tight hug. In surprise he turned around and looked down to see Eureka. She let go briefly and looked up at him.

"Thank you grandfather." She said with a voice that warmed his heart. Axel reached up and wiped a tear from his eye, and Renton watched while smiling.

"Hurry, the truth is, we are not to far from the site still. Holland has been circling around the city for a long while, but not close enough to be detected. At top speed you can make it there within thirty minutes. By then Captain Jurgens will be moving in for the attack. The distraction should be big enough for you guys to get in, figure out where the kids are, get them, and get out." He finished and pointed at the LFO. Eureka nodded and hurried back. But Renton stepped forward and gave his Grandfather a hun as well. Once again the man smiled.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to the both of us." Renton said looking at him. He nodded back and looked at the Xellien. Renton understood and climbed in. Reaching forward he flipped a few switches, and it all came to life. The cockpit closed, and they were silently sealed inside. Renton looked over at Eureka, who was looking back at him.

"Ready?" He asked her. She looked back down at the controls thinking.

"Yeah." She said and grabbed the controls as well. The door in front of them started to open. Electrical bolts danced around the wheels. They shot forward into the air. The KLF flipped its board out and landed on it, and the ground bellow them was moving like a blur. They could see a small spot in the distance, what they assumed was possibly the command center.

It took them no longer then expect. They could already see the Izumo flanking the command tower with beams. Several green lines swarmed the tower, random explosions following them. The screen on the console turned on, revealing a stressed and serious face. One that surprised the both of them. It was Konner, and he for once showed an unfriendly face.

"The door is open, quickly get in there." They could hear a beeping sound coming from the speaker. On the screen they saw him look down, and then look back up. "Hurry." He finished and the link was cut. Instead it was replaced with a small map, one that Renton wasn't sure he understood. But for Eureka, it came all too easily. She took to the co-pilot controls and redirected the Xellien. It swooped down towards a calm section of the command center. No enemies could be seen, they were all above, fighting. Landing the Xellien he parked it against the wall.

"The door should be over there." Eureka said looking down at the screen and then pointed at a small little door in the distance.

"Will it be safe to leave the Xellien out here?" He asked looking around the cockpit unsurely. Eureka paused for a second and then looked up.

"He says he'll be fine." The cockpit door open and she hopped out. Renton quickly followed behind. He noticed how Eureka was getting. She was starting to rush into things to quickly, and it started to worry him. They reached the door and opened it. Cautiously they stepped in, finding the hall completely empty. Renton reached down into his jacket and pulled out a little comm. device.

"Ok, we're in." He spoke into it softly. "How are we going to find the kids?" He asked. There came no reply for a short while. Suddenly a channel opened.

"Our best assumption is that they were taken to holding cell seventy five B. That was just transferred with new prisoners yesterday, and there are no recorded transfers for at least a few weeks." Klera spoke back to them. The yells of commands could be heard in the back round of the Comm..

"How are we supposed to-"

"This way." Eureka said suddenly and started walking off down the hall. Renton sighed and followed after her. The urgency in Eureka's face became increasingly apparent.

"Eureka, are you sure you're alright?" He asked him beside her. She looked at him briefly and then looked forward.

"I'm fine… I just want to get to the kids quickly." She said and their walk turned into a run. Renton nodded slowly and they moved on. They turned the corner and completely stopped. There was one guard standing idly next to a door. Eureka suddenly ran forward.

"Eureka, wait!" He said and put a hand out. But she was already charging, knocking the man over and taking the gun at his side. She quickly pinned him down.

"Forgive me." She said right before the handle of the gun smacked against the man's head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell asleep. Renton ran up next to her, looking at the defenseless man. She stood up and handed the gun to Renton.

"You'll need this more then me." She said and began running again. Renton sighed and held the gun tightly. They ran through several twists and turns. Until they finally reached a corner where Eureka stopped. Carefully she turned her head around the corner. She spotted at least three guards, standing around and talking about themselves. Turning back to Renton she stopped to think. Renton took a quick peek himself. An idea suddenly struck his mind.

"Eureka, I'm going to distract them. When the time is right, you take them down." Renton said suddenly and started to step out into the view of the guards. Eureka looked at him in confusion, but he was already running out before she could stop him. He moved out, aiming his gun down the opposite hall of Eureka. He pulled the trigger, exhausting some loud bangs. They all instantly turned their attention to him.

"Hey, that's the guy that the commander wants." One said and raised his gun. Renton turned his attention to them and jumped back in surprise. Each one went after him in uniform line. Renton dashed around the corner and stopped once out of site. Eureka was on the opposite side, still slightly confused. He made a quick few nods in the direction of where the guards were coming, and then he pointed at her. It suddenly clicked and she nodded as well. Renton held up his gun just as the guards came around the corner. They all looked at him in surprise.

"What in the…" One muttered as he started to raise his gun. At that instant, they all fell forward. Eureka had leaped at them with quick speed, leaving them little time to react. Eureka reached down and picked one up by the shoulders. She rolled back, put her feet against his stomach, and then launched him into the air with a sharp kick. The man grunted as he flew up and fell down, his head slamming against the ground. When she looked over she saw one looking around for his gun, and another struggling with Renton. Renton tried to get his hand that held the gun free, but the man was stronger then he was. Eureka ran forward at the man looking for his gun. He quickly found it in relief, but suddenly felt a stabbing pain on the side of his head. Eureka had delivered a nice blow to it, leaving the man to fall against the cold are ground. Renton had managed to release his hand. He quickly rolled the guard onto his back. Then he raised the gun and knocked him out. For a few second he let his breath catch up with everything else happening.

"Wow…" Renton said in utter surprise. He stood up seeing that every one else was out cold. When he saw Eureka, he noticed a soft red mark on the side of her forehead.

"Are you ok?" He asked her and walked forward looking at his closely.

"Yes, I'm just fine. I should be asking you the same question. Unlike me, you weren't trained in these kinds of situations. But that was quick plan you thought of." She said with a generous smile. Renton gave out a little laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ahhh, it was nothing." The two quickly took advantage of the time they had. They reached the door, which marked itself with a large B. Eureka opened it and stepped inside, quickly followed Renton. The room they stepped into was huge. It was lined with prisoner cells. Each level was lit by a soft blue light that reflected off the metal dully. Eureka turned down one direction and started to walk. Renton looked around for a few more seconds, and then caught up with her.

"Cell seventy five." Renton heard her whisper quietly. The loud sounds of explosions could be heard outside the walls. It rocked the entire room, causing Eureka to fall back. Renton quickly reacted by running forward and catching her. She stood up and continued following the numbers as if nothing happened. Finally she stopped in front of one that had the number seventy five above it.

"This is it, do you have the thing that Irik left in the cockpit?" Eureka asked Renton. He nodded and pulled out a small grayish device. Renton reached forward to put it on the door handle, but was instantly stopped by the sound of a harsh voice.

"There you two are." A man called from behind them. Eureka turned around to see a soldier carrying a gun and pointing it at them. Slowly the soldier started to walk across the bridge that led to the other side. A few other soldiers emerged from doors on the next level up. "Looks like there's no other way to go. We figured you would come here at one point or another. To bad, because even if yo-" He was cut off from a loud explosion from above. Smoke shot out on the upper level. All the soldiers turned their attention to the strange occurrence. Then they all raised their guns and started to fire. The response received was a return fire from above. Eureka turned to Renton.

"Hurry, this is the chance we need!" She spoke with such urgency that Renton immediately reacted. He turned down and placed the small device on the handle. Then with a short click the two stepped a few feet away. Only a few seconds passed until there was a mini explosion, and the door swung open. Eureka was the first to reach it, desperately looking around. She stepped inside with out saying a word. Renton quickly followed and entered, to see Eureka standing in an empty room.

"Where are they?" She said quietly, only barely loud enough for Renton to hear over the gun fire. He didn't know what to say to her now. Even he was distressed at the situation.

"No." He said quietly, he ran in and started to look around, but only realized the dark truth. Stopping he looked over at Eureka who had fallen to her knees. His heart sunk, seeing her grow weak. Slowly he stepped next to her and crouched down. The tears were streaming down her face. He couldn't imagine the pain she was going through, or maybe he did. Because the pain in his chest was burning. There was another loud explosion. Renton looked behind them at the door, to see the dirty smoke flowing in. "Eureka, we... we have to go." He said ever so quietly. Eureka shook her head and stood up, almost falling over.

"No… they have to be here… they have to be. And they're waiting for us right now." She said and turned around. The smoke filled her lungs, releasing a sharp burning pain. She exhaled a few sharp caughs

"Eureka, they are not here, the U.F. probably moved them to another facility. Eureka, we can't stay here." He said trying with all his might to convince her. The battle on the outside was now coming in. And when that happened, inside was going to be the last place they wanted to be. Eureka kept shaking her head, inside she knew it was the truth, but she didn't want to accept it.

"I can't Renton… we have to keep looking." She said and started out the door. Another explosion shook everything around them. Eureka fell backwards into Renton's arms. They both fell to the ground. Renton quickly helped her up, but she would not stand.

"Eureka, we have to go." He softly told her gentle ears.

"I know…" She said slowly and picked herself up. Turning around she looked into Renton's eyes, looking for the strength she needed more then ever. Renton gazed back into her, with out even blinking. He reached up and wiped a tear away from her cheek. A smile spread across his face. Eureka smiled back, the strength once again filling her arms. She nodded and turned back to the door.

"Then we have to go." She said and held her hand out. Renton took it with a reassuring grip. The both of them took off, hoping to get out of the area. They were lucky that every one was too distracted with the break in to really worry about them. Once they reached the halls they spotted no threats. So they quickly headed back for the Xellien. They reached it faster then expected, and they saw the Xellien was still silently waiting for them. Eureka frowned and looked at the Xellien in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Renton asked her when he saw the confusion in her face.

"He says we need to hurry, that everything's getting a lot worse." Renton nodded and the two of them quickened his speed. They quickly climbed up the Xellien, climbing inside and turning the LFO on. It came to life once again, transforming into its humanoid form. With out hesitation Renton motioned the Xellien to jump off the edge. It quickly pulled out its modified board, landing on it at a dipped angle. It fell along with it until it slowly curved the tip and sailed on a leveled plain. Renton took a deep breath. He felt Eureka put his hand on top of his. They went in a strait path back towards the Gekko-Go. The comm. turned on suddenly, revealing Konner's face.

"Did you find them?" He asked with hope. It looked like he was no longer fighting. But Renton noticed the blood dribbling down his face.

"No, they weren't there. I think they moved them to another facility." Konner nodded not hiding the disappointment in his own face.

"I'm sorry Renton and Eureka. I was hoping I could have done more." Renton shook his head and gave a small smile.

"No, you did more for us then you'll ever know. Thank you Konner." Konner smiled and gave a short nod. The sound of a few beeps could be heard from his end. They saw him look down and then back up at them grimly.

"Sorry, I'm being called back into battle. You two make it back safely." With that the comm. turned off. The screen slowly faded back into its dim appearance. Renton shared a look at the battle behind them. His thoughts wandered on Kon, hoping that he would be alright. He then turned his attention to Eureka. She too was looking back at the command center. The look in her eyes seemed lost. She was looking for something, anything that might catch her eyes. For a few more moments he stared at her. The hope was slowly fading, and she turned around sitting back in her seat. She was staring down with saddened eyes. He Reached out and took her hand. She looked at him and then down at the hand. Softly she leaned against him holding his arm tightly and leaving Renton only his left arm to pilot the Xellien. At that moment he didn't care for Xellien, he didn't care for how angry Holland was going to be at them, he didn't care for the chaos they were leaving behind, but all he cared about was Eureka and her pain. He wanted to give her his strength. But at the moment all he could do was give her his arm, and so he did. The two made it back to the Gekko-Go. When the Xellien landed, everything seemed to slow down. An infuriated Holland rushed at them, yelling and screaming at what they did. But very few words actually drifted into Renton's and Eureka's mind. All they did was look past him with a blank stares, and Eureka held onto Renton's arm tightly. There was no happiness expressing through their faces. Holland stopped when he realized this. It suddenly hit his realization that the kid weren't there. He slowed down and actually looked guily.

"You two are confined to your room." He said and turned around walking away. Some of the other crew was there too. One of them being Talho, who stepped forward and helped them to their room. They reached the room and Eureka stepped inside, but Talho put a hand on Renton's shoulder before he could follow.

"Was there nothing?" Talho asked him with a concerned voice. He responded with a slow nod.

"Nothing… at all, and I have no idea where they could be. I want to find them so bad… and so does Eureka." Renton suddenly found his voice getting weak. Talho reached forward and actually gave him a hug. At first he was surprised, but then felt a motherliness that he had never felt before. She stepped back and kept a hand on his shoulder.

"You need to stay strong for Eureka. Those kids meant so much to her, and I know you know that. Please Renton, give her the strength she needs." She spoke with kind and concerned words. Renton smiled with gratitude and nodded. He then turned around and walked into the room. Eureka was standing at the window, looking out with dreary eyes. Renton walked forward and stepped beside her. A plain silence filled the room. He reached down and took her hand once again. She tightly held it back, letting him know that she needed him. But Renton also needed her.

"I love you Eureka." He said beside her. She turned to him and gazed into his eyes. She smiled and leaned against him.

"I love you to Renton." The two of them stood there, looking out at the vast landscape. The mountains arched up and down, but Eureka could only view them as her emotions. Bellow the clouds swirled into the spiraling mass. Then they saw the sun high above, shining down on the silent ship. No words were spoken, none were needed. Now the day would eventually come to an end, but they would have to wait.


	8. Chapter 8: Spiraling Hopes

**Chapter 8: Spiraling Hopes**

'Another day gone away.' Renton thought to himself as he scrubbed a dirty plate. He was inside the kitchen, along with Eureka. The two stood there alone, cleaning up the dishes after a short crew meal. Eureka looked over at him and tilted her head. She noticed a strange look on his face, one she didn't recognize at first.

"Renton, are you alright?" She asked him, his head suddenly twisted in surprise. Eureka frowned in confusion.

"S-Sorry, I was just think about the last few days, that's all." He said with a smile and waved his hand, shoeing the thought away. Eureka noticed that ever sense the command center, Renton had been acting strange. As if hiding something from her, but he wouldn't admit it. She nodded and continued scrubbing the dishes.

"Holland said that they might repaint the Xellien today. He wanted to know what colors we'd like." Eureka said, trying to spark a conversion. Renton looked at Eureka with a little excitement. She smiled, finally seeing him lively again.

"Really? Man, that'd be great!" His hand started to move faster in scrubbing the plate. "What would you like the colors to be?" Renton asked her from the side. Eureka looked up at the ceiling and thought about it for a second.

"I don't know… maybe red and white like the Nirvash?" Eureka suggested the idea to him. He looked at her and thought about it for a second. Right now the Xellien was pretty plain in color, only having its grey tinted metal to expose.

"I don't know, what else could we do? Maybe its time for a little change?" Renton said, looking at Eureka. She nodded and looked him in the eyes. Her own eyes went wide slightly and she looked back out the window, an idea striking her.

"How about blue and white?" She asked him excitedly. Renton thought about it for a second, trying to think of how the Xellien would look in the color variation. He liked the idea and nodded his head.

"I like it, but why blue?" He asked her curiously. She paused for a second and blushed.

"Because your eyes are blue." She said a little shyly. Renton blushed as well and smiled. He reached out and took her hand. The two stood there until the door to the kitchen slid open. Moondoggie stepped in and looked at the two mischievously. They both looked over at him.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Moondoggie asked teasingly and with a playful smirk. Renton rolled his eyes.

"What do you want?" Renton asked him a little impatiently. Not really wanting his teasing at the moment.

"Oh, I'm looking for Matthieu, I thought he might be in here. To bad Stoner isn't here, it would have been a nice picture." Moondoggie sighed and shook his head. He then stepped out of the room casually, as if nothing awkward happened. Renton turned to see Eureka laughing.

"Come on, let's head back to the room. I want to grab something before we check up on the Xellien." Eureka nodded and they both quickly finished off the dishes. They then headed back to room quickly and grabbing some cleaning things. Life seemed a little normal for a second, but Eureka felt as if her room was a little empty.

"Renton…" Eureka asked, breaking the muffled silence. Renton looked up at her.

"Hmm?" Eureka looked away and then back at him. She sat down on the bed, looking a little uncomfortable about something. Renton dropped what he was doing and sat down next to her.

"You think their alright?" Eureka asked looking at him with saddened eyes. Renton knew she was talking about the kids. He looked away and thought about it for a second. Quickly he turned his head back and smiled at her.

"I know they are Eureka. As long as Maurice is there, then all of them will be safe!" He said trying to cheer her up. Eureka smiled a little, seeing what Renton was attempting.

"Thank you Renton, I'm sorry." She let out a small smile. Renton frowned not really understanding why she would be apologizing. "I didn't mean to ruin our happiness." Slowly she looked down at the ground in disappointment. Renton reached around and gave her a tight hug. At first Eureka was surprised, but then she smiled in relief. Renton understood her, always lending the strength she needed. He pulled away softly, smiling at her with kindness and understanding.

"Eureka, I-" He paused for a second looking around in sudden confusion. His eyes quickly diverted to his left arm. Eureka tilted her head in confusion.

"Renton?" She asked him with no response. Suddenly he stood up and looked down at his left arm in horror. Eureka realized something was wrong. "Renton, what is it?" She asked him urgently, following his gaze down to his arm. He looked up at her in distress and he fell to the ground. Eureka stood up from the bed, quickly rushing over to his side. His right arm shot out gripping his left tightly.

"It hurts." He almost yelled, but barely held it in. Eureka didn't know what to do. She quickly stood up.

"Renton stay here, I'm going to get Mischa!" She turned and ran out the door. Her eyes darted about, searching for anyone. Finally she reached infirmary where she charged through the door while it was still sliding open. She looked about the whole room, not seeing Mischa anywhere. Turning around she headed out the door and ran down the hall once again. This time she stopped at the lounge and ran inside. There she found two people sipping coffee. Both Mischa and Holland looked up in surprise. Holland stood up immediately seeing Eureka's distressed expression.

"Eureka what's wrong?" He asked her quickly. Eureka felt the tears building in her eyes building. Mischa stood up as well, setting down the coffee.

"It's Renton, s-some things wrong." She said in a quivering voice. Holland noticed that Renton wasn't with her. Mischa stepped forward, heading for the door.

"Where is he?" She asked Eureka who was quickly following her.

"He's in our room." Mischa nodded and the three of them headed out to the door. They quickly rushed to the room, seeing that Renton was passed out on the floor. His cheeks were flushed and he didn't make a move when they came in, but his eyes opened weakly. He took a deep breath and started to pick himself up from the ground. Slowly he made it to his feet, but his legs went wobbly and he fell down. Holland rushed forward and caught him before it could happen.

"Hold on there Renton." He said helping him to his feet.

"I…" He stopped to take a few breaths, as if talking was a strained effort. "I'm fine, just a little tired." Eureka looked at him not believing the words he spoke. Holland turned his head at Mischa who quickly nodded.

"Could it be a fever?" Holland asked with seriousness. Mischa looked at Renton for a second.

"I'm not sure, how long has he been like this Eureka?" Eureka looked at him and then Mischa.

"I don't know, he was just fine. Then he said his arm was hurting, and I came for you guys." Mischa looked at her in surprise.

"We need to get him to the Infirmary quickly. I don't think this is a fever." Holland nodded and picked Renton up who struggled weakly.

"I said I'm fine…" He grumbled with a barely understandable voice. Holland headed out the door, Eureka and Mischa quickly following behind. They reached the infirmary and Holland set Renton down one of the bed.

"Take off his jacket and pull up his left sleeve." Mischa ordered Holland who quickly complied with out order. Once he pulled off the jacket he reached down to pull up his left sleep to reveal a disturbing sight. Holland flinched back in surprise and disgust. Renton's left arm had five little bumps that were swollen. They were slightly moist, and each had a little scab, as if it had been cut there before.

"What in the world?" Holland said looking at the arm. Mischa stood up and reached down with a little tweezers. She scooped up some of the slime and took it over to her desk.

"What's wrong with Renton?" Eureka asked worriedly and stepping up to see what was wrong. She saw his arm and gasped at the mutilated sight. The memory hit her from way back to where they were on earth alone. Renton had punctured his arm with a rock. He had tried to show that they were the same, that he had loved her. "Renton…" She muttered quietly, unable to express any more words. Mischa turned to Holland and made a short nod at Eureka. He understood and put a hand on Eureka's shoulder.

"Eureka, Mischa needs time to figure things out. She won't be able to help him with the distraction of people. Come on, let's step out." Eureka didn't want to leave, but Holland's hand was firm and reassuring. So she followed him out the door.

"Impossible, it was so long ago, he never said anything." She whispered, looking back at the door and then back at Holland. At the comment he looked over at her in surprise.

"Eureka, did something happen?" Holland asked her. Quickly she looked up at him and then back down at the ground.

"It's just… back when we were inside the planet. Something happened and his arm got hurt. He got a really bad fever, but it cleared up the next day. I knew his wounds hadn't healed, but he never said a word." Eureka looked back the door, wanting to know what was happening on the other side. Holland looked down at the ground, thinking to himself.

"I see…" He leaned against the wall and sat down. His mind was deep in thought, and neither spoke more.

Some time had passed, Eureka was still standing at the door, waiting. Holland was looking up at her, knowing what was obviously on her mind. Pity was filling his stomach. Eureka and Renton were already dealing with enough trouble, but he knew there wasn't much he could do.

"Eureka, maybe yo-" He stopped when the door slid open. Holland quickly stood up to see Mischa looking at a pad with worried eyes.

"I was afraid of this, its no way near a fever." Mischa eyes were scrolling across the pad. Holland stepped forward looking her strait in the eyes.

"Mischa, what is Renton's condition?" Holland's face was calm, yet it revealed a wave of importance.

"Renton had been asking me for some antiseptics. He said that he got a small cut and need it for his left arm. I gave him some simple stuff to use. But what happened to his arm was not a simple cut." She paused for a second, turning around, looking into the room. Taking a deep breath in, she let out a sigh. Eureka looked up at her and then tried to see Renton. "Well, he has a really bad bacteria infection. Usually these kinds of things could be easily removed… but… this is different. This is a rare bacterial infection that I haven't seen in a long time. It can only thrive when the body is at its weakest moment. One reason it's hard to catch it is because even when it can start multiplying, it's easy to get rid of. All you need is a special antiseptic that'll neutralize the bacteria. The fact that it was able to even get this far is surprising, usually it dies out. Now that it's this far into the infection… we really need that antiseptic, and we need it quickly." Eureka nodded and wiped away the tears from her face.

"But why didn't Renton tell me?" Eureka asked looking at Mischa and Holland who didn't share the same glance at her.

"Eureka, when I was giving him the antiseptic. He asked me not to tell you about it. He didn't want you to worry about it. Even it was a little problem. Though I'm afraid it's a lot bigger." Mischa finished and Eureka went into a surprising calm. She reached up and wiped the tears of her moist cheeks.

"Where in the storage would they be?" Eureka asked her. Mischa shook her head.

"That's the thing, we don't have any." Eureka's eyes went a little wide in worried surprise. "But there is two P.O.F. facilities that are close enough for us to reach soon." Holland stepped forward and nodded in his silent decision.

"Perfect, then me and Matthieu will-" He stopped when Eureka turned around and gave him a look of determination. But it was just that, there was something in her eyes. A hope and strength that told him she needed to do this. "Or me and Eureka will go to the facilities and check it out." He said slowly, not sure his decision was made. Eureka gave him a smile of gratitude, and she turned back to Mischa.

"May I see him?" She asked her hopefully. Mischa paused for a second. She looked back into the room and then back at Eureka. A small smile formed across her face and she nodded. Eureka walked passed her into the room. She moved in slowly, not being really sure she was prepared for what she would see. When her eyes fell on Renton, the first thing she noticed was his arm. It was swollen with a couple of bumps. She quickly moved next to him and looked at it carefully. His arm didn't disgust her, but instead she wanted to reach out and care for it, to take Renton's pains away.

"Eureka?" She heard a soft and weak voice come from Renton. She turned her head in surprise, but then she smiled at him. A look of confusion was covering his face. "Where am I?" He asked trying to look around.

"In the infirmary." She said with her soft smile. He frowned in his confusion and then noticed his arm was exposed. His expression went from confusion to surprised irritation. Suddenly he attempted to sit up, but Eureka quickly stopped him.

"I don't need to be here, I'm fine." Renton said trying to get up, but was too weak to do so. She pushed him back down gently.

"Renton, please don't… I know what happened." She spoke with a soft and careful voice. Renton looked up at her and then away. A wave of guilt spread across his face. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked him, wanting to know the truth from him. He wouldn't make eye contact, but only diverted his eyes to some where else in the room.

"I…I didn't want you to worry. You were already pressured with so many other things. It wouldn't be fair. I didn't want you to worry about the kids and me too." He finished, not really knowing what else to say. Eureka looked down at him and smiled. She then reached her head down and their foreheads came together gently. She looked directly into his eyes, and he looked back up into hers. When he saw her warm smile his guilt suddenly washed away.

"Thank you Renton, but I want to protect you too." She said softly, the very words calming him. He smiled and closed his eyes, letting his body finally rest. It surprised her at how fast he had fallen asleep. She drew back, placing her hand against her forehead. Her smile faded as her eyes filled with sadness. His head had been so warm… For a few more moments she gazed at him, deep in thought. Then she stood up, wiping away the expression of worry. She walked pass Mischa and headed out the door. But she stopped when a firm hand gripped her shoulder firmly. Turning around she saw Mischa looking at the ground. Slowly Mischa looked up at her, a serious expression across her face.

"Eureka… you have a right to know the truth." Mischa spoke to her with a professional tone. But there was still a hint of friendship and understanding in it. "Renton's infection isn't simple, it's dangerous. The bacteria has formed in the weakest part of his body, in other words, the bumps you saw. You see, his body is working extremely hard to fight against the bacteria, but its not working. Hence why he is so weak right now. Look Eureka… the bacteria is strongest in his arm, and that's where it's multiplying. If you don't get back in time, I will have to sever his arm." Mischa waited for Eureka's reaction. Eureka looked up at Mischa in surprise and looked down at the ground as if searching for something, an answer that wouldn't be given. But then for a few seconds she stopped, just looking at the ground. When she looked back up, the worry, stress, sadness, and everything was gone from her face. But instead it was replaced with determination and confidence.

"I understand… I need to be strong for him." She said and turned around, walking down the hall. Mischa looked at her walking away and then she smiled and shook her head.

"An amazing couple they are." She turned her head back to Renton who was fast asleep. A sigh drifted from her lips and the smile drifted away. "But I'm afraid times running out." With that the door slid closed.

Eureka was in the Xellien, while Holland was in the 606. Eureka waited patiently, but an anxious feeling to leave was burning in her stomach.

"This is Holland, the 606 and Final Beginning are launching from the ship. Open the catapult." There was a short pause until Talho's voice came over the comm..

"Holland, you're leaving the ship, under what circumstances?" Talho asked, her confusion being very evident.

"Yes, we'll return in a few hours. In the mean time just loop around, we don't want to loose you." He responded and the comm. and shut off. He hadn't answered the question, but at the moment it seemed irrelevant. The time they had was short. The catapult opened up slowly, letting the light from the outside spill in. Eureka squinted for a brief moment until her eyes adjusted.

"Xellien prepped and launching." She spoke into the comm. Her fingers quickly poked at a few buttons. Electrical bolts swerved around the wheels and the Xellien was rushed forward. It shot out and quickly halted as it caught onto the faded waves. Right behind it came the 606.

"Ok Eureka, here's the deal." There was a short pause until her screen turned on, revealing a map. "You'll be heading there." The map zoomed in on a point, and a small red dot blinked in the middle. "I'll be heading else where. When you get the medicine, immediately head back to the Gekko-Go." Eureka nodded and reached across turning on the comm..

"Understood, see you soon." She finished and gripped the controls. Her eyes quickly darted at the unoccupied seat next to her. It felt a lot emptier inside with out Renton. She shook her head, removing the feeling from her thoughts. The Xellien soared away, off to the place it was need. Holland waited a few moments, looking at it, but he turned his attention back to his own objective. Pulling back on the controls, the 606 dipped down sailing of into the opposite direction. It was only thirty minutes later until he saw a small building in the distance.

"Perfect." Holland said, his hopes starting to build inside him. The 606 pointed down and sailed towards the ground. It did a few swirls in the air until it came to a short stop and it landed on the ground. A few people around the building looked up in surprise. A hiss of air shot out as the cockpit opened and Holland quickly hopped out. Some of the people shook their heads and walked away. He noticed one was wearing a medical uniform. Holland stopped the man before he could get away.

"Stop, I need a special Antiseptic." Holland spoke quickly with out explanation. The man looked at Holland in surprise and confusion.

"Ummm… what kind?" The man replied slowly, finding the situation just a little strange.

"It's called Rinium A, do you have any of that?" Holland spoke with absolute urgency, just getting right to the point. Though the man didn't respond at first. He seemed to be thinking about it.

"Oh yes, I remember it now. That stuff really isn't in high demand. I'm not sure, you'll have to check with the manager of this medical building." Holland rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Fine, where can I find him?" He asked.

"Easily at his office. You can find it on the second floor, room eighty." Holland sighed in relief and quickly shot off with out even thanking the man. He ran into the building and turned around the corner. His eyes shot about, looking for some way to reach the upper levels. Finally he spotted an elevator. A few people looked him strangely. He ignored them as he ran to the elevator and pressed the button ten times. Incase the first time didn't work. It opened at last and he rushed inside. One man looked back curiously and shrugged his shoulders. The door closed and the elevator slowly took him to the top. His foot tapped against the hard ground. When the door opened he rushed out into the hall.

"Good… now if I can just find the room." He said quietly to himself. Slowly he carried himself across the hall. Finally his eyes hit the number eighty above a door. With a smirk of satisfaction, he rushed over and opened the door. He entered a room which was strangely organized. It was covered with wooden furniture. But the pristine setting didn't distract him. Instead he walked forward to an elderly man who was sitting in his over sized chair. The older man looked up from a paper and shared his attention to Holland.

"May I help you?" He asked in a weary voice.

"Yes, I need a special antiseptic called Rinium A." This time Holland spoke politely. The elder man nodded and stood up. He moved over to a small cabinet. Opening it, he pulled out a small little vile. Carefully the elderly man examined and nodded.

"I see… we're out." He told Holland simply. Holland wasn't happy with the results, but he kept his cool.

"Dang it… I really need it. Do you know where I can get some?" The elderly man frowned as he pondered the question.

"There is another medical building that is pretty close to here. An hour or so away, I believe they would have some. They borrowed an amount from us some a long time ago. There was a strange out break of a rare bacteria in the water system. I doubt that they used all of it." The Holland smiled in quick release.

"That's perfect!" He quickly stated and rushed out the door. The elderly man frowned in confusion. Then with a short shrug the man sat down and began to look his paper over.

---

Eureka had reached her destination not to long after Holland reached his. She felt the hope in her stomach building.

"It has to be here." She whispered to herself. Swiftly she made her way to the medical building. Inside she looked around, not sure where to start. A man that was walking by noticed her and stopped. He couldn't help but find the wings on her back strange. But it suddenly hit him on who it was.

"Eureka? Aren't you that girl from Ray Out?" The man asked her suddenly. She turned around not expecting some one to speak to her.

"What… ummm, yes I am?" She said slowly.

"What can I help you with?" He asked her with a kind smile. Eureka relaxed, this man seemed to be friendly and trust worthy.

"I'm looking for a special antiseptic called Rinium A." He perked up slightly and genuinely smiled.

"You're in luck, we asked for a supply of that just a month ago. I'm pretty sure we have some left, just come with me." The man turned around and led Eureka through the building. The two walked for a while until the man turned into a door. She followed behind quickly, not being satisfied until she had it in her hands. The gentleman stopped in front of a row of boxes. He looked at each one curiously, until his eye caught one. A smile shot across his face and he reached for it. Carefully he pulled it down and opened it up. Eureka felt her heart sink, inside was rows and rows of empty vials. The man didn't give up though. Instead he picked them up one at a time. Finally he stopped and pulled out a small vial filled to the brim with a clear liquid. Eureka suddenly felt the sinking feeling rise again.

"Is that it?" She asked both excitedly and hopefully. The man looked back at her expression and he laughed.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." He held the vial down to her. Eureka took it and held it closely. Then something hit her realization.

"I… I don't have any money." She said looking up at him with an expression of worry. The man looked around and then back at her with a playful smile.

"Don't worry, a doctors duty is to help another. No matter what the circumstances are." Eureka felt herself lift up. The man was truly sharing his generosity.

"Thank you so much." She said and shortly bowed. The man shook his head quickly and raised his hands.

"No worries, when ever you need help. You can always come to me. My name L-" He was cut off when everything around them began to shake. There were a few loud explosions, followed by a hideous laughter that caused Eureka to shudder. Everything stopped, a short silence filling everything around them. Eureka looked up at the gentleman who helped her.

"What was that?" She asked him quietly. He didn't look down at her. His eyes were on the door. His face turned serious with concern.

"Bandits…" He muttered and gripped his fist in anger.

---

The 606 glided through the air, the Gekko-Go was in clear sites. Holland reached across the controls and pressed down on a small button.

"This is the 606 reporting back to the Gekko-Go. Has the Final Beginning returned yet?" Holland asked.

"The Final Beginning has yet to return. What did you guys go and do?" The sound of Talho's voice replied. Holland frowned in slight surprise.

"She should have returned by now." Holland thought aloud.

"Sorry Holland, didn't catch that last part. What did you say?" Holland looked down at the speaker and then out the window.

"Keep circling, I'm going to head over to where Eureka went." It sounded like Talho was about to say something. But he reached across and shut it off before he could tell. Quickly he mounted his hands on the controls and swerved it to the right.

---

"You should get out of here quickly." The man spoke to Eureka. He ran over to the door and opened it slowly. Carefully he peeked his head outside.

"Bandits? Around these parts…" Eureka stepped forward next to him.

"Yes, they've been invading us for a long time now. It usually happens in intervals, and they always take a shipment of something we really need. I suggest you take that antiseptic and get out of here." Turning around he headed to the back of the small storage room. He moved a few boxes aside and pulled out a smaller one. When he opened It Eureka saw that there were a few guns inside. Gently he reached in and pulled one out.

"My hands weren't made to kill." She heard him barely whisper. Slowly he stood up but his eyes were still on the gun. The man stood there for a few more seconds in thought. Then he shifted his gaze to Eureka, who was standing and waiting. A smile slipped across his face and he gripped the gun. "But they were made to protect." He reached down once again, grabbing a few more guns. Then he walked over to Eureka and handed her one.

"I imagine you know how to use it." He said and walked passed her. Eureka looked back in surprise, wondering how exactly he meant that. The two left out the door and moved down the halls cautiously. As they moved, Eureka spotted a window. She peered out to see the sun had gone down a good ways.

"No…" She muttered to herself and gripped the gun tighter. The man stopped and looked around the corner.

"Good, we should be ok. There's an emergency exit just right there. Now just tur-"

"Doctor Lendin?" A rough voice interrupted them. The man turned around looking back in confusion. Behind Eureka and the doctor was a tall and gruff looking man.

'Docter Lendin…' She thought to herself. The name sounded so familiar, but apparently it was the man standing next to her.

"What did you come here for this time?" Lendin spoke with subtle annoyance.

"Surprisingly we're not here to steal your stuff, but rather steal you." The man took a few threatening steps forward. But Lendin was quicker, his hand swiftly pulled up holding the gun. The other man took a step back in surprise.

"Figures you'd finally give away your true self." The other man started to laugh awkwardly. Eureka was utterly confused at the whole situation. But Lendin looked at the man with absolute importance.

"How much did they pay you, or how much did they say they would pay you?" Linden smirked at the last sentence. The man stopped laughing and grumbled at him.

"More then you were ever paid." The man suddenly rushed forward, but Lindin was already pulling the trigger. The man fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

"I'm sure…" Lindin shook his head and looked down at the gun.

"Where did you hit him?" Eureka asked, looking down at the man. She almost felt sorry for him.

"Mehh, just the left knee. It'll leave him immobilized, but it won't kill him." He said with a cheery smile. "Come on, we got to get on the move." He pointed down the hall and started moving. Eureka nodded and followed after him. They moved around the corner and headed out the emergency exit. When the doors opened a flood of bright light filled in. They stepped out into the outside. Everything around them was silent and calm.

"Ok, this way." He said turning and starting to walk away. Eureka didn't follow, she looked the opposite direction. When this caught his attention he stopped and turned around in confusion. She looked back and shook her head.

"Thank you, but I can't go with you. I have something I have to do for some one I really care for." The man tilted his head at what he said. A smile slipped across his face and he nodded.

"Very well then, I'll just have to escort you then." He said and stepped forward, motioning her to lead the way. Eureka shared a smile of gratitude before they headed down the other direction. Once they turned around the building they spotted the Xellien. Eureka perked her head up in confusion. Lindin looked down at her and curiously frowned.

"What is it?" He asked, Eureka oddly started running for the Xellien.

"Some things wrong." She said and continued to run. Lindin shrugged and followed after her.

"Well, do-" He was cut off by the sound of a loud explosion. Eureka turned around to see a rain of debris shoot at them. One hit Eureka, slamming her against the ground. She felt an onslaught of tinier rocks hit her. It finally stopped and Eureka opened her eyes slowly. The large piece on top of her wouldn't budge.

"Dangit… I didn't want to kill him." A gruff and high pitch voice came over a crackly comm.. Eureka moved her head to see a black 606 step forward. It had emerged from a large whole in the building. It was holding a massive gun with a steaming tip.

"Dead?" Eureka whispered and looked around. She turned her head to the right to a see something she wish she hadn't. A large piece of rubble lay on top of Lindin. His eyes were gazing at the never ending sky, lifeless, and never blinking. A strange smile was across his face, one that Eureka couldn't bare to witness. She turned away and felt the warm tears stream down her face. "No…" She whispered.

"What do we have here?" The same voice exclaimed mischievously. Eureka's eyes went wide open. She looked up at the 606 which was gazing back down at her.

"Well, if it isn't that girl from Ray Out? Heh… I bet I'd get big points for kill you." A whimpering laugh slurred through the comm.. A shiver flew down Eureka's spine. The 606 slowly lifted its gun, and the tip of the gun stopped on Eureka. She gazed into the dark hole. Only seeing darkness and pain.

"Pl..Pl…ea…" She couldn't get the words out. She gripped the antiseptic tighter and closed her eyes. A loud bang thrashed at the air which was quickly followed by gnashing metal. Eureka opened her eyes in surprise and looked over to see what was happening.

The black 606 was now fighting an orange 606. "Holland?" Hope was starting to fill her again. The two 606's fought with each other. Occasionally one landed a hit on the other.

"Who the heck are you?" The black 606 yelled. There came no response from the orange one. Instead it reached under and lifted the enemy 606 up. It then twisted it around and slammed it against the ground with incredible fury. Only a few seconds later the orange cockpit slid open and Holland jumped out.

"Eureka, are you alright!" He yelled and ran down towards her. It only took a few seconds for him to reach under and slide the rubble away. His eyes darted around, checking for any serious injuries. "Well?" He asked and looked at her. Eureka didn't respond immediately. Instead she lifted her hand and looked at it. A wave of relief flushed over her when she still saw the vial in her hand. Some how feeling it wasn't enough. She smiled and looked up at him.

"Yes, I am." Holland shook his head and helped her up.

"We need to hurry." Eureka nodded and started for the Xellien.

"You Idiots." A voice crackled behind them. Holland looked around to see a large gun pointing at them. Turning around, he quickly dashed forward and knocked Eureka to the ground. Just a few seconds later there was a ringing explosion. Shrapnel shot out, sending a few scrapes across Holland's back. It only lasted a few seconds until it was all over. Holland stood up and felt his scarred back.

"Dangit… what a pitiful last tactic. Killing him self for the sake of revenge." Holland turned around to see Eureka searching the ground for something. Confused, he stepped forward to see what she was looking at.

"Eure-" He stopped when she did. Lying on the ground was their last chance for Renton. The vial was shattered, its pieces scattered about in a small area.

"No… please no…" She whispered to herself. Holland looked away, not knowing what to say. Eureka suddenly stood up and started for the Xellien. He looked up and wondered what in the world she was doing. It suddenly clicked and he rushed forward to stop her.

"You're not going to the third hospital. There's no way to you'll get it and make it back in time." Eureka only struggled to get out of his grip.

"No… I need to get it for him!" She almost yelled.

"No, he needs you by his side!" Holland yelled and Eureka froze. The tears started to fall down her cheek again.

"But…" Her voice cracked. She knew what she had to do. Chasing false hopes couldn't be done. Slowly she nodded and Holland hesitated to let go. Finally he did and she didn't run.

"Can you make it back with the Xellien?" He asked her grimly. She replied with one short nod. "Ok, I'll meet you back at the Gekko-Go." Eureka didn't reply, she only started walking towards the Xellien. Holland watched her walk away and climb into the LFO. "It's not fair." He muttered and hopped into the 606. The two lifted off on their boards. The ride back was silent, no conversation at all. A few times Holland saw the Final Beginning sloppily swerve off path. At first he thought it was an attempt to head for the third hospital. But then again, he had no idea as to what she was doing. He wondered how she was really feeling.

It wasn't long until the 606 and the Xellien were back and landing at the Gekko-Go.

"Welcome back, how did the trip go?" They heard Talho ask from the comm. all too cheerfully. No one knew what was happening.

"Mission failed…" Holland replied with a dark voice.

"What?" Talho asked with a sound of confusion.

"Meet me at the room. I don't want the others to know."

"Right." She replied back and the comm. shut off. The cockpit slipped open and Holland looked out towards the Xellien. Its cockpit lay open, with no one inside. With a sigh he gently stepped down from the 606 and started for his room.

---

Eureka was rushing down the halls. She stopped at the medical room and headed inside. The room was empty except for a sleeping Renton. With only a moment of hesitation she stepped forward. His face was calm and peaceful. But the bumps on his arm were starting to turn black. She carefully sat down next to him, being careful not to wake him up. But it seemed that even that surpassed his awareness. His eyes slowly opened and he turned his head to Eureka.

"Oh, hey Eureka." He said with a small smile. "Did Mischa say when I'm getting out of here." His voice was cheerful and friendly towards her. But only guilt stabbed at her chest. She felt the tears gliding down her cheeks. But she smiled and nodded. Renton frowned in confusion.

"Eureka…?" He spoke slowly. She wasn't telling him everything, and this didn't escape his notice. The door slid open from the side. Eureka turned around to see Mischa step in, holding a pad and taking readings. She looked over to see Eureka sitting next at Renton. At first she seemed happy, thinking that they returned with the antiseptic. But the smile quickly faded when she saw Eureka's face.

"Very well… I can't wait any longer then." A dark and solemn look encased Mischa's face. Eureka felt her body prickle with cold dots. She shook her head as the tears fell.

"No… please…" Mischa shook her head and stepped forward.

"Eureka… If I don't he will die." Every one spoke as if Renton wasn't there.

"Why, what in the world is going on?" He asked and shifted on the bed. Mischa sighed and the door slid open again. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, feeling as if she was dealing with enough already. Holland stepped in with a grim look, while Talho quickly followed.

"Holland, I might need your help with the operation. It can't really be done safely with out two people. And Talho, please help Eureka out of here." Talho nodded and moved forward. She shared a look at Renton that scared him half to death. Her face was expressing pity and guilt.

"Wh…What's going on?" He said looking around the room, his breath getting heavier.

"Renton… The infection in your arm is getting worse." Renton's eyes got wider, and Eureka couldn't bear to see his fear. But her eyes wouldn't turn away. Talho helped her up and started to move her to the door. Mischa spoke slowly, reaching out for two pairs of gloves. "The infection is to strong, and we can't reach an antidote soon enough. If you want to live, we have to sever your arm." Eureka barely saw the look on his face. He was scared beyond belief. Slowly he shook his head, and looked as if he was about to yell. But before Eureka could see more, the door closed. Eureka felt her breath speeding up. The tears in her eyes were swarming. She couldn't control it, she felt herself breaking down.

"Eureka." Talho began to speak, but Eureka shook her head. Talho embraced Eureka in her arms. But it didn't help, the image of Renton's complete fear kept flashing in her mind.

"No…" She whispered weakly and pushed away. It became too much, she turned around and ran. Talho took a step forward to stop her, but she was already shooting down the hall. Eureka kept running until she stopped at her room. Her feet weakly carried her to her bed, where she fell down upon it. "Please no!" She yelled into her pillow, soaking it with salty tears. The loud sobs emitted from her with out restraint. The pain was to strong, and her body to weak. "Why… Please… why?" As time passed the tears started to slow, and her sobs grew quiet. A wave of fatigue suddenly washed over her. The door slid open, but she didn't bother to look.

"Eureka?" She recognized Irik's voice speaking to her. Slowly she turned her head, exposing her tear stained face. Her face held a solemn and lifeless look. Irik looked down in confusion, not sure on how to react. "wh-whats wrong?" He asked her. Eureka wasn't sure that she wanted to respond. How could she say something like this to him? But she felt a need to tell some one.

"Renton's loosing his arm…" She spoke slowly and grimly. A shocked expression hit his face.

"What… why?" He asked urgently. She could already feel the tears building up in her eyes again.

"It's because of a rare bacteria… so rare, why him? I was so close to getting the antiseptic…" The tears began to fall again.

"What antiseptic?" He asked quickly.

"Rinium A." She barely croaked as the tears poured down.

"Rinium A, I have a small vial of that. Klera gave it to me for an experiment. I have plenty left." The tears stopped as Eureka's eyes went wide. She stood up quickly, completely catching Irik off guard.

"We have to hurry Irik, please!" She begged him with such urgency that he felt confused.

"R-right… the." He stood up and ran out the door. Eureka quickly followed. They ran down the hall, passing a really confused Matthieu. They continued down until they stopped at Renton's old room. Irik ran in, digging his hands through a large pile of papers. Finally he reached a small box. His hand shakily opened it. The clinking sound of bumping glass filled Eureka's ears. There was a loud shattering sound and Eureka felt her heart skip a beep. "D-don't worry, empty file." He laughed nervously. Eureka took an uncomfortable sigh of relief. Finally he picked one up and ran it over to Eureka. She looked at it in surprise, as if not expecting. He held it out for her to take, and she quickly took it.

"Thank you so much Irik." She said with a smile that he never thought he'd witness towards him. Turning around she dashed down the hall. It felt like an eternity. She stopped at the medical room, seeing Talho wait outside with folded arms. She looked up in surprise at Eureka. Then she quickly stepped in front of the door.

"Eureka I can't let you through, you know that." Eureka shook her head and held up the vial.

"Talho, please, this is the antiseptic!" She spoke with incredible urgency. Talho looked down in surprise, not sure if that was possible. With out hesitation Talho turned around and opened the door. She quickly dashed through, followed by Eureka. Mischa was holding a sharp device that almost made Eureka stop.

"What's this, she can't come in here. We're about to start the operation." Mischa said, unbelieving that Eureka would actually burst in like so. Holland reacted quickly, he was about to step forward, but Eureka held up the vial.

"I have it, it's the Rinium A." She said with heaved breaths. Mischa stepped forward and took it. Looking it over to make sure.

"It is…" She said with slow confusion. Mischa looked at Holland and nodded. A wave of incredible relief and calm flushed through the room. Eureka felt like both she and Renton just dodge a really big rock. She shifted her gaze to look at Renton who was peacefully sleeping. A smile of relief formed on her lips. Mischa had them leave the room, even Holland this time. It didn't matter to her. she knew he was going to be alright. Eureka waited outside the door. Holland and Talho attempted to wait as well, but Talho remembered the baby. And Holland was a little anxious to help her. For a long while she sat by herself, waiting patiently. She looked up at the sound of foot steps. Irik was walking down the hall and stopped next to Eureka.

"Is he ok?" He asked, looking at the door in wonder.

"Yes… thank you Irik." She said and looked at him with a kind smile. Irik looked down at the ground and nodded.

"It was no problem, I'm just glad I could help." He didn't smile, nor express anything. But his voice gave away enough of what he was truly feeling. "I'll head back to work then." He said and turned around. Eureka looked up at him, wondering what was going on in his mind. But Irik never stopped, he continued walking.

A few hours passed by. Eureka had fallen asleep with her head resting against her knees. Mischa stepped out to see her lying on the ground. A smile slipped across her face.

"Thank goodness…" She whispered and looked to the right as Holland walked up. He also spotted Eureka asleep on the ground.

"How is he?" He asked, not looking away.

"He'll be fine, we're incredibly lucky. It's a miracle that Eureka found any. I wonder where in the world she found it?" She looked up at the thought suddenly. Curiosity was now peaking her interests. Holland shook his head and sighed.

"Yes, we are lucky." He exclaimed and reached down to wake her up. But Mischa quickly stopped him. She gazed at one of the windows at the far wall. No light shined through.

"Its night and she'll want to see Renton. Maybe its best if she just gets to bed." Holland nodded and picked her up.

"I'll get her to her room then." And so he did with out another word. Mischa turned down the corner. But not before she posted a do not disturb sign on the door. The rest of the night was finally calming down. All the chaos and confusion was only witnessed by a few people on the ship. Holland couldn't help but laugh at the situation. He turned into Eureka's room and set her down on the bed. Softly he put the blanket over her and began to walk out. Silently he walked to the command room. The lights had dimmed as most of the ship went to sleep. Once he reached it he walked up to the command chair and sat in it.

"Still awake eh?" A voice spoke from above. There was a blight flash and Holland looked up in surprise. He spotted Stoner holding his camera. Another flash emitted from annoying device. Stoner looked down at it curiously and smirked. "That one's going to be good." He said and started down the steps. "So what was with all the commotion earlier?" He asked and sat down in one of the empty chairs.

"A lot of things you'd probably wish you hadn't missed." Holland smirked himself and leaned back in the chair.

"Really?" Stoner asked, his interests building.

"Yup, but I'm too tired to tell you right now." Stoner sighed and nodded in defeat.

"Oh well, you'll just have to tell me tomorrow." He challenge before he stood up and left.

"Yeah… tomorrow." Mumbling the last words he fell asleep.

---

Renton felt the world around him suddenly appear. He was awake, but he refused to open his eyes. Everything that happened seemed like a nightmare. No matter how hard he wished it wasn't true. A sharp pain shot across his arm. A groan pushed its way through his throat, but he forced it back down. In surprise he lifted his head and looked down at his arm.

"What?" He muttered in surprise, but the relief of seeing it was overpowering. Taking a few breaths, he leaned his head back down. Something brushed against his cheek. Curiously he looked over to see the top of Eureka's head. She seemed to be sitting down on a chair, and laying her head on his bed. Her breath was soft and calm. In her sleep she seemed at peace. A smile slipped across Renton's face. "Thank you." He whispered too quietly for her to hear. Carefully he leaned his head against hers, and let the urge of sleep retake him.


	9. Chapter 9: Bearing with Pain

**Chapter 9: Bearing with Pain**

Renton slowly opened his eyes to something that he thought was the best way to wake up from a deep sleep. Eureka was looking down at him with a wide and warm smile. He couldn't hold back his own expression of joy.

"Morning." She spoke cheerfully while reaching a tray of food out to him. Renton took it all too generously, his stomach reminding him of how hungry he was.

"How long have I been out?" He asked and looked over his food. Which contained buttered toast, sweltering pancakes, and a simple glass of orange juice at the side.

"For a while now, about two days." Renton instantly sat up in surprise, almost knocking over his food.

"T-Two days!" He exclaimed in his confusion. Eureka couldn't help but let out a small laugh as she nodded.

"Yes, Mischa said that your body was going through a tough recovery. For a while I was a scared." She nodded at the food for him to eat. But he didn't take his eyes away from hers.

"I think I awoke last night. You were there for me weren't you?" He asked her with gentle eyes. Eureka looked down and nodded. "Thank you Eureka." His arms reached out to give her a hug, but a sharp pain jabbed at his left arm. He barely kept his hand from grabbing it in agony. A caring look crossed her face as he reacted.

"Careful with your arm, it's still healing from the bacterial damage." Eureka urged him and looked around wanting to do something, but found nothing. Renton nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"Ok, sorry, I'm still surprised it's just there." He joked the last part and rubbed his neck. But Eureka didn't share his amusement. Instead she broke eye contact and looked away in guilt. He suddenly wished he had chosen his words more carefully. "Eureka, I don't want you to blame yourself in any way. It wasn't your fault, it was mine. I made the mistake in not saying anything." Eureka nodded, but it didn't seem to change her mind. He started to wonder what could be bothering her so.

"I just can't get out of my head the person who died." She spoke with a soft voice. Renton's eyes went wide as a piece of struggled air forced itself into his lungs. His head shook in slowly, not wanting to believe the words.

"Some one… died?" His voice quivered with unbelief. Eureka nodded and an uncomfortable wave of feelings settled in the room. Neither could look at each other. And Eureka suddenly wished she hadn't said a word. A few moments passed with a burning silence. Finally Eureka looked up at Renton, with small puddles of tears forming in her eyes.

"But I don't think he'd want to be remembered that way. He… He died for us so that we could be happy. So should we be sad?" Eureka urged suddenly. Renton was surprised at her spontaneous reaction. But her words drifted through his mind. Then a sudden memory of two people who were close to him drifted into his thoughts.

"You're right Eureka, I don't think that person would want us to remember him that way. Charles and Ray both died… And… I don't think they would want me to remember them with anger, or sadness, but rather thoughts of joy." He nodded in agreement as the aura of darkness drifted from the room. The two gazed into the others eyes. She then reached down and wrapped her arms around his head. With only one arm free, he embraced her as well. The two stayed that way for a long time, not even realizing that Holland had entered the room. He stood there, watching with a small smile. Softly he shook his head and left.

----

Dominic sat idly at an empty table. Though the rest of the room was scattered with random groups of people. He on the other hand was alone, sitting with a small portable computer. Next to it was a tray of food, only scarcely touched.

"Impossible… not even in the west database." He let out a sigh and looked up at the ceiling. "This isn't good enough, I need something other then the P.O.F…. I need the U.F.F's database. But getting that is nigh impossible." A laugh forced its way through his lungs as he shook his head. The whole situation was impossible. Then a strange thought crossed into his mind. He was curious to know where Anemone was. Since recently he had been neglecting her, obsessing with his works. Now that he thought about it, it didn't seem right of him. "I should go find her…" He stood up slowly but stopped when his stomach grumbled. "But… I guess I could eat first." Rolling his eyes he sat back down and began to finish his food. Only a few minutes later did he feel some one tap his shoulder and sit down in front of him. He looked up expecting to see Anemone and her cheerful smile, but it was just Konner.

"Hey Dominic, you got any time for once?" He asked, nodding at the laptop. Dominic followed his gaze and nodded.

'Seems like every one knows…' He thought to himself

"Good, any way, I was just curious to know if you knew?" Konner asked, while leaning back in his chair and getting quite comfortable.

"Knew what?" Curiosity was peeking at Dominic's interests. But Konner didn't reply at first. He seemed to be contemplating something before speaking.

"Commander Jurgens doesn't know, and I think its best if it stays that way. You see, Renton and Eureka were with us at the battle. They were looking for their kids." He finished with a serious tone. Dominic reacted in surprise and tilted his head.

"What? When did their kids go missing?" He asked urgently.

"Just a while ago, when they went to their home in Bellfrost. The only way I found out was through Irik. He sent us a short communication message before leaving." Dominic nodded and stood up from his chair, the thought of food completely escaping his mind.

"I see, something has to be done. I owe it to Renton." Konner laughed and stood up.

"I thought you would say something like that." Dominic looked over at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well, I hear things from Anemone. The reason I came to you is that I some how knew you would want to do this. So, here we are. I'm going to help you find the kids." Konner stepped around the table and held a hand for Dominic to take. At first he hesitated to do so, but then a smile slipped across his lips. Although this Konner seemed strange to him, he had a smooth style about him. He reached out and shook the hand.

"We'll start in the best place we can." Dominic spoke with professional speech. Konner tilted his head in curiosity.

"And where would that be?"

"Where else?" Dominic chuckled and sat down at his computer. "The database."

----

Holland nodded in approval at all the items they had gathered.

"Perfect, now that we have everything we need. Let's go ahead and get this baby painted." He reached down and picked up the blue paint bottle. Jobs, Woz, Talho, Moondoggie, Hilda, and Matthieu stood in front of the Xellien. Most of the hanger was cleared except for the 606, 909, and the 303. They had laid a large pad under the Xellien, as in to keep the ground from getting painted. Now that everything was ready, they started forward to paint the Xellien.

Renton was lying in the medical room, by himself. His only company was the computer at his side. Which annoyingly kept beeping his heart rate. For a split second he felt like picking the machine up and throwing it half way across the room. Eureka had left him a while before, to check on things and put away his food. After another hour or so, the door finally opened and Mischa stepped in, closely followed by Eureka.

"Well Renton, good news. I'm convinced that you can leave the room. Only under one condition." She looked in between Eureka and Renton. "Don't use that left arm, it needs all the healing it can get. And also, you'll have to return to me once a day. I want to reapply some of the antiseptic, and make sure that the bacterium isn't multiplying again." Renton quickly nodded in reply. Mischa gave him a suspicious look, but finally she nodded and put his arm in a sling. Then she let them go on their way. Once they left the infirmary, they decided to see what else was going on.

"Wow, I'm surprised she let me out." He said next to Eureka with a loud sigh. Eureka smiled and shook her head.

"She only needed a little convincing, that's all." Renton looked over at her in surprise, but it quickly morphed into a suspicious grin.

"Didn't know you were so convincing" Renton spoke with a playful tone. Eureka laughed and the two continued walking. Right when they turned the corner, they were assaulted with a bright flash of light. Eureka fell backwards along with Renton.

"What was that?" Eureka asked, trying to figure out what was going on. It was quickly followed by a smirk like laugh.

"Sorry about that kids, just thought I would get a good picture for Ray Out." Stoner Replied to them and stepped forward. Eureka looked over to see Renton gently holding his arm.

"Are you alright?" She asked suddenly. He nodded and stood up.

"Yeah, just stung a little, nothing big." Ignoring the thought completely, he reached his spare arm out to help Eureka up. She accepted it and the two shared a fierce look at Stoner. He smiled innocently and started walking backwards.

"Hey hey hey, let's not get feisty now. It was just for the sake of Ray Out." The two rolled their eyes and walked passed him. He let out a sigh and greedily took another picture of them from the back. As they walked on, Eureka continued to look down at the arm with concern. He noticed it and shared a friendly smile.

"Don't worry Eureka, I'd give it a week or two." Eureka looked up at his welcoming smile. She shared her own and looked down the hall. They reached the command room to only find it empty.

"Dang, no one here…" Renton sighed in disappointment. Eureka walked out to the railing while Renton walked down the stairs to the extended deck.

"I wonder where they all are?" Eureka said, looking down at Renton. He didn't respond, but instead he was looking out the view port. She curiously tilted her head and walked down the stairs. When she reached him, she also looked out at the view port. They were flying towards to very large and broken pillars. Each one's tips spiked out violently. Eureka gazed at it with sorrow, but Renton tilted his head in deep thought.

"You know… It's not all that sad." He spoke slowly. Eureka looked over at him, wondering what he meant. "They stand for what our last world was. It's almost beautiful when you really look at it." Eureka decided to view it from his point of view. And she then realized a strange thing. Both pillars stood together in the distance, almost proud. Their work was done, and they had accomplished what they were commanded. The cracked tips stood up artistically. The sun stood on the horizon, allowing the pillars to cast their shadows upon the crystal blue sea. Eureka and Renton both admired the site for a while longer.

"Hey Renton, Eureka." A voice spoke from above. They turned around to see Irik standing at the railing. It suddenly crossed Eureka's mind that she had never told him what Irik had done. She started to open her mouth to say something, but Irik spoke with out noticing. "There's something that me and your grandfather wanted to show you. It's a project we've been working on for a while." With that he turned around and walked away. Eureka curiously looked over at Renton who only shrugged in reply. The two decided to follow along. Irik led them to the hanger. He stopped just before entering the door. "It's almost done. we only need a few more touch ups. But we'd like to see it on a test drive afterwards." Irik opened the door and stepped through. He froze in place. Renton and Eureka both followed, wondering why he stopped. "What… What are you doing!" He yelled across the hanger and ran down the stairs. Renton and Eureka both looked out to see several people working on the Xellien. They saw them painting a design that looked similar to the Nirvash. Except for the actual shape of the Xellien, and it was blue instead of red.

"Ohhh, hey Irik. How do you like the new look?" Holland asked and stepped down from the finished design. Irik fell to his knees in horror.

"You… you painted it." He gawked at the Xellien. Holland smiled in satisfaction and nodded.

"Yup, just following the suggestions from Eureka." He looked up at Renton and Eureka. A strange knowing smile on his face.

"Pretty nice, I think I like it better then the Nirvash." Hilda commented from beside him.

"Yeah, I always liked blue more then red." Moondoggie replied and stepped out from behind the Xellien.

"It'll take a while to dry, but once it is. It'll be ready for another go." Holland smirked and took off his mask that protected him from the paint's fumes. Irik stood up and shook off his surprise.

"Very well then… I might as well reveal what me and Axel have been doing." Irik said and turned around walking towards something that was wrapped in a curtain. Axel stepped out from behind it, a proud smirk across his face.

"About time, I've been waiting for this." The old man grabbed at the large sheet, as did Irik. They both tightly pulled on it, where it swiftly flew off. What lie under it was a grand LFO board.

"This is the new board for the Final Beginning." Irik motioned proudly at the large board. Eureka stepped down, anxious to see it up close. Renton on the other hand was looking down in complete surprise.

"Incredible…" Holland gaped from the side.

"How long have you been working on it?" Renton asked, and stepped down the steps as well. Axel and Irik looked at each other and shrugged.

"For a while now, at least ever since Axel came aboard. It was easy sense we just used one of the spare KLF boards. It took a lot of redesign, but we had everything we needed." Irik replied to his question. Eureka on the other hand moved under it, feeling the smooth metal. "Of course, it's not done yet. Just give us an hour or so." Holland took a step forward.

"Perfect, that's just how long it will take the paint to dry." Holland noted excitedly. But Irik flinched when he mention the word paint.

"Not that it doesn't sound fun and all, but I'm starving." Matthieu said simply and started for the stairs. Every one else followed closely behind. All Holland could do was look down in disappointment, seeing that they didn't share the same excitement. Talho shook her head and stepped up next to him.

"You should eat too Holland." Talho nudged his side. He nodded and let out a short sigh.

"Okay, well then, in two hours." He said to Eureka and Renton, and then left with Talho. The two watched as Irik and Axel began to work on the board. Finally they decided that maybe they should leave them be. They walked back to the room and sat down on the bed. With little else to do, Eureka explained to Renton everything else that had happened while he was asleep.

---

"Yes!" Dominic yelled and his fingers started to move across the key board faster. Konner looked up tiredly with a raised brow.

"What, did you find something?" He asked in a drowsy voice. Dominic reacted with intense enthusiasm. There was a fiery grin across his face, as his eyes moved back and forth across the screen.

"I'm into the U.F.F. database. It took a while, but I found a little crack in their system. I'm surprised it wasn't fixed up. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep the link. But hopefully it will be long enough for what we want." Dominic said each word with overpowering excitement. Konner suddenly felt wide awake, he stood up and moved around to look at the computer screen. The screen scrolled by with several file selections, all news items on certain days of the week. And then within them, all the locations of things that were held on those days.

"Do you know the day the kids were taken?" Dominic asked suddenly and looked up at Konner.

"I think around the… eighteenth?" He said with hesitation. Dominic nodded and clicked his way through the information. After a while of mostly nothing, his head perked up.

"I think this is it." He quickly read through the information and nodded. But he made no movement to talk to Konner.

"Well?" He asked him in aggravation.

"Well… It seems that they are at another command center. But this confuses me…" Konner frowned in confusion, and tried to see where he was reading. Suddenly Dominic shot up urgently.

"What the… What is it?" Konner asked in his lack of understanding.

"We have a few spies aboard the ship." Dominic spoke with such a fiery, that Konner actually took a step back in surprise.

"Who?" He asked carefully.

"Commander Jurgens kids, and the former Ageha Squad of Dewey." He clenched his teeth as he nabbed his laptop and headed for the door. Konner quickly caught up and followed behind. The two ran down the hall. They reached the command room, and looked around for captain Jurgens. Who was fortunately sitting in his command chair.

"Captain Jurgens!" Konner yelled up to him, and the two ran up to him. Jurgens looked down with a raised brow.

"Yes?" He asked with a sturdy tone.

"We have a few spies onboard." Dominic quickly opened his laptop and pointed at the selected information. Jurgens looked it over carefully, and then let out a rather depressing sigh.

"To have failed at raising such good kids." He stood up and walked over to the communications desk. Gently he pressed a small button and leaned his head down. "Will crew members twenty one through twenty six report to the command room immediately." With that he stood strait and turned to the door patiently. Dominic looked into his eyes, seeing something he hadn't noticed before. Jurgens actually seemed disappointed, with out any anger. It suddenly occurred to him that maybe Captain Jurgens… That maybe he really considered the kids as his children. Dominic suddenly felt guilty, almost wishing he had never found the information. But the inevitable must come.

A time passed before four kids stepped into the room. They each lined up next to each other, sharing a short salute. Captain Jurgens sighed and stepped forward, looking each one in the eye.

"Where is Daia?" He asked them patiently. Two of them looked over as if in surprise, while the other two looked at each other in worry. This caused Jurgens to raise a brow. He shook it off and stood strait. "When Dewey died… I thought I'd owed you something. So I took you kids in, and decided to care for you. I've tried treating you like my children, and I've noticed some of you have taken to that." His voice was firm, strait, and profession. It wasn't weak, but nor was it harsh. Every one in the room seemed to have stopped what they were doing, and turned their attention to him. "And for a while, I thought I was doing the right thing." He stopped and looked in between them grimly. His face held no anger, but a dropping hope. "I guess I failed. I know that you are working for the U.F.F." All four of them flinched back in surprise. But two stood strait and shook their head in distress.

"That's not true, we never rejoined them. Though we did receive contact from them, they offered us to rejoin them. So that we could refill Dewey's glory in restoring the U.F. to full power… but me and Jena rejected the offer. We both agreed that Dewey's plan was unintelligent." She looked over at Jena who nodded in agreement.

"But it says right here." Dominic interrupted suddenly. He reached down on his laptop and started rescanning the information. He then frowned in slight bewilderment. "Never mind, it looks like Jena and Keria were not included on the record. But rather…" He looked up from the laptop, and at the other two girls. "Only Ren, Ika, and Daia." The two girls suddenly looked stressed at the situation.

"So you two also got the message?" Keria looked over at the two with building anger. Jena also seemed to be feeling the same emotion. Ika and Ren took a few steps back in fear. Suddenly Ika took a step forward in burning rage.

"Master Dewey was a better commander then you ever were Yurgus!" She screeched through seething teeth. Captain Jurgen's eyes went a little wider at her words. He actually seemed offended.

"Konner, and Vice Captain, please take these two away… to the prisoner cells." His words were slightly hesitant. And he couldn't make eye contact with either of them.

"Yes sir…" The vice captain replied, and the two of them forced Ika and Ren out of the room.

"Is that all Dominic?" Jurgens asked with a solemn voice. Dominic looked at his computer, seeing that it had gone blank. He assumed the U.F. had found the unrecognized link. Slowly he closed the laptop, and paused for a few moments.

"I was wondering if… me and Konner could borrow a shuttle." He asked, looking up at him. Jurgens raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Any reason why?" He asked.

"I'm hoping you'll just trust me on this one. Its very important to not only me and Konner, but a few other people as well." For a long moment, Captain Jurgens just held eye contact with Dominic. All Dominic could do was stare back, he couldn't tell him why they needed the shuttle. It was a personal matter for Renton and Eureka. But it also crossed his mind, that Jurgens would probably help. But that was the last thing they needed. It had to be concealed to a small group of people, so as to not spread the information. For after hearing about the kids being spies, he wasn't sure he could trust any one any more. Although his trust was strong with Jurgens, he just couldn't trust others. For a moment longer they held the gaze, and then Jurgens looked away, shifting his attention to the two girls.

"You have my permission, go ahead and do so." Dominic nodded in gratitude and started to walk away.

"Thank you Yurgus…" He spoke before walking through the door. When Jurgens didn't reply, he turned around to see him crouched on the ground. He was talking to the two girls. His eyes were actually soft and gentle, and the girl nodded. They were listening to each and every word he spoke.

'Those girls are really changing Jurgens. I guess for him… It's like having a family again. And for the girls, it like having a father they never had.' He thought to himself, feeling a smile forming cross his face. 'You deserve it Captain.' With that last thought, he walked out of the room.

---

"Did Matthieu and Moondoggie really have a race?" Renton asked in amusement.

"Yes, Matthieu beat him with out really trying." She told him with the same amused look

"Its-" He stopped when the door to their room suddenly opened. Holland walked in with a smile of pure excitement.

"Are you guys ready to launch?" He asked, quickly looking in between the two. Renton looked over at Eureka, who nodded in reply. "Good, I can't wait to see it in action!" He turned around and left the room. Renton stood up along with Eureka. They then followed the energetic man to the hanger. This time only Irik, Axel, and Talho were to be seen. They walked down the stairs into the broad area. Irik and Axel were doing their final check ups. Talho was looked up as the three approach.

"Well, it's been a while sense you two really got to ride an LFO with a board that was made for it." Talho said with a kind and friendly voice. Eureka nodded with a small smile, but Renton couldn't help but admire the design of Xellien's new board.

"So, are you two ready to take it for a test drive?" Irik asked, stepping out in front of them. Axel wasn't too far behind, just making one final check.

"It's amazing." Renton said in total awe, and Irik shared a look back at it himself.

"Yes, we're ready to test out the board." Eureka answered irk and stepped forward, next to Renton.

"Good, and if comes back with even a scratch. I'll make you wish you had never been born Renton!" Axel spoke with his usually harsh voice. Which had demanding discipline written all over it.

"Heh heh… Don't worry, not a scratch." Renton replied nervously, taking a few steps back. Eureka and Renton moved to get into the Xellien. They quickly hopped in, but Renton took the co-pilot seat. Eureka cocked her head, wondering what he was doing. She then remembered his arm, and that he would be unable to pilot. So she took the pilots seat and started the Xellien. The Xellien transformed into the humanoid shape and took a few steps forward. It slowly reached down and gripped the board. Every one stepped back, as in to not get in the way.

"Now, with this board it can transform in its third form. So just settle it down on the launch gears. Press the Maroon colored button to the far right. That will initiate the transformation." Irik yelled up at them. Renton looked down and nodded. He reached across and pressed the glowing button. Suddenly the Xellien split the board in two, and attached it to its back, like a set of closed wings. It then fell backwards, transforming into its plane shape form.

"Awesome…" Holland gaped from bellow, and Talho laughed at his excitement. "We have to get to the control room to see this!" He turned around and immediately ran up the stairs. Talho rolled her eyes and quickly followed.

"Just wait a little longer, and we'll set you up for launch. In the mean time, we'll be waiting in the command room along with the others." Irik told them and left the room along with Axel. For a few brief moments, Renton and Eureka were left alone once again.

"Is your arm going to be ok?" Eureka asked with a concerned voice. She had her eyes locked on his arm, suddenly having second thoughts of doing this. But he smiled in reply and shook his head.

"Don't worry, I can handle this." Eureka looked back up at his warm smile. She nodded and let the soothing words relax her tense body.

"Then let's do this together." Eureka held out her hard, and Renton took it with his right one.

"Are you two done?" A mischievous voice came from the comm.. Both Renton and Eureka looked down in utter surprise. They had no idea that the comm. was even on. Looking at each other, both suddenly felt their cheeks turned warm with a soft red.

"Y-yes, we're ready for launch." Renton's struggling voice replied. They heard a few distant laughs in the back round. He rolled his eyes and folded his arms. Eureka couldn't help but find it all a little amusing.

"Good, then teach that bird what its like to fly!" Holland's charging voice came from the comm.. Renton couldn't help but feel Holland's excitement feeding into his own. He reached across and pressed the button. The Catapult door opened, revealing the night sky outside. Electrical bolts moved up and down the launching gears. Renton and Eureka looked at each other, their anxious feelings surging through out them. Renton nodded and Eureka turned back to the controls. She then pressed another two buttons and the Xellien shot forward. Sparks flew from behind the wheels as they left the Gekko-Go, and soared out into open space. They were free once again, together. The Xellien bent with the waves, causing a massive splash of green glow to shoot up. Eureka couldn't help but smile, her excitement was thriving inside her. She quickly shared a glance at Renton, to see his own thrill was exploding. For a split second, she felt like it was just him and her. That nothing else could touch them, and that the waves would guide them on the right path. She gripped the feeling and let it swallow her up.

"The Xelliens happy as well." She spoke softly beside Renton. He turned his head and nodded.

"So are you." He replied back to her, and they both gazed at each other. They then looked forward again, taking advantage of this time they had. The Xellien dipped up and down, reflecting the pure rays of the white moon. Eureka gripped the controls and the Xellien dipped down once again. It soared towards the ocean, and leveled itself, barely scratching the calm water with its wings. Water spewed from the pressure, shooting up and soaking the Xellien. After a few more moments of laughter, the two stopped and sat back. The moon's angelic glow shined down on them. After all the excitement had been building, they finally decided to let it drain. Softly the surging feeling faded, only leaving them with pure relaxation and utter peace. Renton shifted his gaze to Eureka, who was staring dazedly at the moon. But Renton didn't shift his attention to look himself. To just see Eureka in such a calm flushed a warm feeling of relief. He was just happy to see her living again, and letting the world around her fade away. She turned her head to see him gazing at her. Her eyes closed slightly as they went soft. Renton reached his right hand across, and Eureka took it gently. Then ever so slowly, their heads came together. Just when their lips were about to meet, the radio suddenly burst to life.

"Renton, Eureka, please respond immediately!" A shockingly urgent voice came from the comm.. Renton instantly recognized it as Dominic's. With out hesitation he reached down and opened the channel.

"Dominic?" He replied in his bewilderment.

"Renton? Good, we finally got a hold of you. There's little time to explain, but if we move quickly. We'll be able to get the kids back." Eureka looked up, unable to believe what Dominic had just said.

"Don't loose yourself in thought guys, we have very little time." They heard Konner's voice this time. Eureka quickly closed her eyes for a few moments, and then she opened them again. Renton and Eureka looked at each other, but quickly shifted their attention back down to the comm..

"Now, only a few hours ago, I was able to access the U.F.F. database. Inside there I found the transfer routes between Bellfrost and other cities. I don't know why, but their moving your kids around a lot. Luckily, one is passing by a command center pretty close. With the Final Beginning alone, I don't think it would be possible. But, we have the prototype, and the element of surprise. So all we have to do is move in quickly, and violently…" There was a long pause. "Are you up for it?" He asked with sudden calm and understanding. Renton looked over at Eureka who was looking back at him. He felt her squeeze his hand reassuringly. A smile formed on his face as he nodded.

"Yes Dominic, there is no better time then now." Renton spoke into the comm..

"Good, then let's get going." The Xellien pulled up and swerved to the right, flying away from the Gekko-Go. A map faded onto their screen.

"What are you guys doing?" The confused voice of Holland came.

"To save the kids." Renton replied all too simply.

"What?" But neither Eureka or Renton Replied. Instead Eureka reached across and cut the link between the Gekko-Go and the Xellien.

"Did you tell the Gekko-Go?" They heard Dominic ask over the comm..

"No, we're in a big hurry right?" Renton responded back to him.

"Yes, just meet us at the command center. For now we'll have to maintain radio silence." And with that the comm. shut off. The two didn't speak much along the way. But Renton could see the same look in her eyes again. She was determined, and that wanting hope was glowing in her face.

Only twenty minutes passed until they saw two objects flying off in the distance. One left a green trail while the other just glided along.

"This is Dominic, me and Konner have discussed the plans. We've come to the conclusion that the right entry port is the best way in. Konner is going to stay behind and hold off any troops. While me, you, and Eureka head for the kids." Renton looked up in surprise.

"Will Konner be able to hold it off on his own?" He asked.

"Yes, we're testing out one of the new prototype weapons. And we're pretty sure it'll hold them off for a while." Dominic almost sounded like he was smirking. "There's the command center, get ready!" Both Eureka and Renton looked up to see a tall building on a large island. Bright lights blared from it, but other then that little detail. It mostly seemed calm and quiet.

"Follow me, I'll make the breaking maneuver." Konner informed them and quickly broke off from the group. They all followed behind. As the building got larger, Renton felt his nervous feelings rising. Before they knew it, they were surfing along side of the large circular building. Konner stopped and did a loop in the air. His KLF then swooped right into a large panel door. The entry way didn't even put up a fight. Konner's KLF board ripped through it like paper. All of them moved their vehicles in and quickly landed them on the ground. Only a few seconds later did the whole place flash red.

"Alarms tripped, get back quick guys. I'll send you a message when it becomes to hot to hold." Konner said and his KLF took a few steps forward. His KLF then reached behind its back and gripped a rather large gun. When the gun was pulled out, it slammed into the left hand. The frail frame of the KLF seemed like it would fall apart from holding the massive gun. But it gripped it tightly and firmly. Dominic hopped out of his shuttle and waited for Eureka and Renton to catch up with them. They both quickly climbed down from the Xellien and ran up next to him.

"That gun is one of the first of its kind for a KLF. What ever is caught in front of it when the trigger is pulled, won't be in front of it for long." He finished and quickly pulled out a small pad.

"You sure their here?" Eureka asked him, wanting a true answer. Dominic briefly looked up and nodded.

"With out a doubt, their only two levels up from here." He turned around and started to run for a far off door. Eureka and Renton quickly followed behind. The ear shattering sound of gun fire exploded from Konner's KLF. They rushed into the door and closed it behind them

"Ok, where to now?" Renton asked, looking down at Dominic's small pad. Dominic looked down at it, pausing for a few seconds.

"Ummm…. I think…" He turned it upside down and frowned. "That way?" He looked down the path curiously. Renton reached out and nabbed it away from his hands. "Hey!" He exclaimed with a hurt look. Ignoring it, Renton looked over the pad himself.

"This way." He quickly dashed off with Eureka and Dominic quickly following behind. They stopped every now and then, turning to run up a set of stairs. Finally, after running through a series of long halls, the found an unguarded door. Renton gripped the door and pulled it open. They were once again introduced to a large prisoner room. He looked down at the pad again and then turned his head to the right. "Cell number thirty five." They all rushed down the railing until they reached the desired door. Dominic with out waiting reached down and placed a small black box.

"Get away!" He commanded them and covered his ears. There was a short pause until the door burst open. Eureka was the first to run inside. She ran in there as if the world were on the other side… which Renton thought wasn't too far off the mark.

"Mama?" Renton thought he heard a faint voice whisper. Renton's eyes shot wide open, and he rushed in himself. On the floor were all four of them. Each one was crying, even Eureka muffled her tears on their heads. Renton ran forward and put his own arms around them. It felt so strange, and yet so blissful to them. He knew that everything was going to be alright from now on. Dominic let them have a few moments of Reunion, but even he knew the time was short.

"Renton, we have to leave now…" Dominic spoke with a firm and strong voice. Renton looked back and nodded in understanding.

"Come on guys, we have to hurry." Eureka glanced over and nodded. They all quickly stood up, barely allowing the joyous feeling emerge. Eureka picked Linck up, as Renton picked Maeter up. They both knew that their tiny legs wouldn't be able to keep up with them All of them quickly backed tracked to the hanger. Surprisingly, they ran into no trouble along the way. Dominic hoped that it was because of their sudden surprise attack. It wasn't long till they reached the Xellein and others. Eureka and Renton set the kids down.

"You'll have to go with Dominic. The Xellien's cockpit isn't as large as the Nirvash's." Renton told them with a gentle voice. They all looked up at him with hopeful eyes, but they understood the circumstances.

"We understand." Maurice replied with a looked that Renton hadn't seen before. It seemed that Maurice had grown a lot sense they were gone. Dominic nodded to Renton as he took the kids and put them in the shuttle. Eureka and Renton quickly climbed back into the Xellien.

"Let's keep a watch on the kids." Eureka suggested as she moved the Xellien into the air. Renton nodded in agreement and looked over the readings. Only a few second later, Dominic's shuttle shot off into open space, Xellien quickly following behind. Konner did his best to catch up. His KLF weakly placed the massive gun on its back, then it quickly took off after them. The three soared off to what seemed like a clean get away. But it was short lived when ten KLFs launched from the command Center.

"Hold on… we got ten KLFs coming in fast!" Konner informed every one with an irritated voice. Renton shifted his gaze down at the flashing green screen. Ten red dots were quickly advancing on them. He carefully considered the situation. Finally the decision was made.

"We should turn back and dis-" Eureka with out warning pulled back on the controls, completely catching Renton off guard. It seemed like they were both thinking on the same page. The Xellien pulled back, and did a short twist. All ten KLFs had already caught up with them. Three broke off and spread out towards the Xellien. The Xellien dipped down and swerved to the right. It then slammed its board into the enemy KLF, knocking it off its own board. While keeping its momentum, it gripped the ownerless board. Then with a few more twists, it threw the board at on of the other KLFs. The board pierced right through the air like an arrow, cutting right through the unexpecting KLF. The third one attempted to grab the Xellien, but Eureka quickly improvised for the situation. As the enemy flew at them, the Xellien lifted its legs, turned, and shoved the bottom of the board right into its stomach. The immense pressure snapped it in two. Three down, only seven left to go. This time Konner moved in, but with a fury that Renton had never seen before. His KLF shot out in a spinning whirl wind. He landed on an enemy, ripping off its arm. Then while flipping one end around. It slammed the arm against the head, shattering the delicate metal.

"What the…" Renton murmured, unbelieving of Konner's sudden fury. The prototype leapt from the enemy and landed on another. He picked up one foot and shoved it into the enemy's chest. The KLF went dark, becoming lifeless and cold. Rneton wasn't sure why, but something didn't seem right. He frowned in his confusion, trying to get a good look at Konner's KLF. The thing was ripping everything apart, like a crazed animal. Just when he was about to open his mouth, Eureka gripped the controls violently. They shot forward right into the chaos. The Xellien did a corkscrew, then span down like a fan right on top of an enemy KLF. When the spinning fury collided with the KLF. It ripped it to shreds. Renton looked over at her in surprise. He flinched when he saw a look in her eyes that he'd never seen before.

"Eur-" He choked when she turned the LFO. Suddenly, gripping the ruined KLF and chucking it at another enemy. Metal pieces rained from bellow the flying mass of metal. It slammed against the desired target, absolutely immobilizing it completely. "Eureka, what wrong?" He asked hopelessly. Eureka didn't respond, but instead expressed a fierce looking of concentration. She seemed angry for no apparent reason. A feeling that he never thought he would see from her. The last two KLFs considered the situation, and both turned around to escape the destruction. But Eureka didn't let that come to be. The Xellien swerved down along side with Konner. The two gripped the defenseless KLFs. Xellien crushed the head, grabbed the gun, turned it around, and filled the cockpit with fiery bullets. Konner directed his KLF to reach back and slam a mighty fist right through the cockpit. Both KLFs exploded in a burning chaos. Eureka turned the Xellien towards Konner and violently moved it forward. At first Renton was confused, but the look in her eyes answered to his confusion.

"Eureka NO!" He yelled and reached forward with his burning left arm. His skin felt like it was shedding with every inch it moved. Eureka's eyes shot wide open, the anger and fury disappeared with out a trace. What she was doing came to her like waking up from a deep sleep. With all her strength she redirected the Xellien away, barely dodging Konner. She looked around, her breath quick and heavy. Renton was looking down at his arm. It felt as if some one had stabbed five heated pens into his sensitive skin. Slowly, three red dots faded onto the bandage cloth. Eureka looked over, seeing him carry his arm in pain.

"Renton?" She asked urgently, looking at the arm with intense concern. Soft tears formed on the tips of her eyes.

"What… Happened?" He looked over at her with confusion and worried eyes. The tears fell down, tickling her cheeks.

"I… It…." The words felt suppressed in her throat. He softly reached across and held her hand with his free one.

"Let's go back, right now we should concentrate on the kids." His eyes had turned gentle with his soft voice. She nodded, and held his hand tightly. Though no words were spoken, he felt a cold feeling in his stomach. He'd never seen such a fury in her eyes. But now she seemed surprised and lost. They both had been in similar situation before. And he could never remember such a hate in her.

"Renton… I'm sorry." She almost whispered too softly to hear. He squeezed her hand affectionately.

"Don't worry." Was all he felt he could say. Right now he wanted to comfort her. But what ever happened back in the fight. He knew would have to wait till they were back on the Gekko-Go.

It wasn't long until they had reached the Gekko-Go. Konner decided to keep outside while Dominic and the others landed inside. As the Xellien came in for the landing, Renton easily took notice of an infuriated Holland. He looked at Eureka, about to let out a nervous laugh. But she was looking down, a guilty lock on her eyes. He was about to reach over when suddenly a few irritating knocks sounded from their window. Renton looked up at a sight that froze his bones. Holland looked down on the two with threatening eyes. The air around them suddenly became heavier.

"You going to open it up?" He asked with a voice that didn't match his expression. Renton couldn't hold back a nervous laugh. With a great amount of hesitation, he opened the door. Holland reached down and pulled Renton up by the collar. "You left with out even telling us where you were going…" His voice was calm, but an ice cold breath peeked at his tone. The shuttle to the side opened, and three excited kids along with Dominic stepped out. Holland turned his head in utter surprise. Eureka instantly stood up and rushed toward them.

"Mama!" They all cried in unison. She knelt down as they rushed into her open arms. Holland and Renton then made eye contact once again. Except Renton didn't falter this time, but instead held a serious gaze.

"I had to do it…" He told him in a sturdy tone. Holland held him by the collar for a few more seconds, but then released his tight grip. A small smile slipped across the man's face. It reminded Renton that Holland understood more then he's willing to give away.

"Renton?" An exasperated voice yelled across the hanger. Renton shifted his attention to Mischa who was quickly running at him.

"What?" He asked in his confusion. She furiously pointed at his left arm. Not really understanding, he looked down. To his surprise, the whole thing was red and damp. All the white cloth that had once protected his arm was now soaked in a thick red.

"Quickly get down here, we're fixing that up. Your body isn't in the situation to defend itself." Renton couldn't help but release a suppressed sigh. With a short nod he stepped down and suddenly felt woozy. The pain in his arm was starting to refresh itself. The world around him faded slightly, but he kept his footing strong. Soft hands gripped his right arm, to keep him from falling over. He turned his head to see Eureka looking at him with concerned eyes. It seemed as if she was trying to say something. But it was muffled by the hazy surroundings.

"What…?" He asked her. Everything around him started to speed up. Before he realized, he was already moving down the hall. Then slowly a dark haze filled into his surroundings. His body went numb, and everything went dark…

---

"Get him on to the medical bed." Mischa commanded Holland and Dominic. They picked Renton up and laid him across the bed. Mischa took a small pair of scissors and then slowly yet carefully cut his bandage open.

"What happened, Renton was acting fine earlier?" She asked desperately. Mischa didn't look back, she was slowly peeling off the bandage. Which still exposed no white traces.

"I don't know what you two did, but it over exerted his body. He shouldn't have gotten in the Xellien. His body is still recovering from a major bacterial attack." Mischa then set the bandage down on the table. She took a few cloths and began to wipe the blood off his arm.

"But…" She muttered, images of the battle flashing in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push them out.

"Eureka, I could tell that you guys must have come from a battle. That would be the only way to explain the marks on the Xellien. But… Renton must have had an adrenaline rush. That's the only reason that he was able to stay awake and keep moving. Once that rush ended, his already tired body just wanted to shut down." She stopped and checked his heart beat. Eureka couldn't help but notice how weak and slow his breath was. "His hearts getting slower…" Mischa let out a sigh and looked back at the three. "Leave, I'll take the rest from here. It's just too much commotion." He looked at Holland and Dominic, but her gaze stopped on Eureka. Eureka felt a shiver run down her spine. They all left, but Eureka stopped when the door closed behind her. Holland stopped as well to look back at her saddened eyes.

"Eureka… Your kids are probably waiting for you." He spoke softly, and she turned her head towards him. The two looked at each other until she finally nodded. She walked down the hall with a solemn aura. Holland let out a sigh as he watched her go.

"A lot seems to happen around here." Dominic noted beside him. Holland looked over and nodded grimly. Eureka turned down the hall, a burning guilt filling her stomach. She couldn't explain what happened back in the battle. But she felt like it was her fault, all of it. When she reached the hanger again, she saw all the kids huddled together. They all looked up and ran at her. She knelt down and let them incase her in their arms.

"Mama, where is barfie?" Maeter asked her with innocent eyes. She suddenly found it hard to make eye contact with her.

"He's just taking a nap." She said with a smile.

"Mama, why is your cheeks wet?" Linck asked this time. Eureka quickly reached up and wiped away her tear stained cheeks.

"It's nothing, don't worry." Her smile started to feel harder to maintain. She shifted her eyes to Maurice, who never spoke a word. His look actually caught her off guard. It was serious and firm, he knew more then he was expressing. "How about we go eat?" Eureka suggested the idea suddenly. Maeter and Linck perked up at the idea.

"Yeah, they never gave us any good food!" Linck almost yelled in his excitement. Eureka let out a small laugh and stood up. They all headed for the lounge room. When they reached it, Meater and Linck headed in, but Eureka felt a hand grip hers. She turned around in surprise, looking down at Maurice.

"How is Renton?" He asked with surprising significance. Eureka looked away, feeling the guilt in her stomach piling.

"He'll be fine, he's just… tired from what happened…" She tried to convince him, but she couldn't even convince herself. Maurice looked up at her in confusion. He then smiled, completely ignoring what he had asked.

"Then can we eat?" He asked earnestly. Eureka looked down, surprised at his sudden change of attitude. But she felt her own smile spread, and she nodded. They finally followed in behind Maeter and Linck.

---

Renton slowly opened his eyes. His body felt so weak and heavy. He tried to gather on where he was, but all he could tell how dark it was. The only light was from the window which shined a soft glow from the moon. He suddenly felt a tight burning pain all over his arm.

"Renton?" A very quiet voice whispered from above. Renton turned his head to see Eureka. She was looking down at him with tired eyes, but they expressed a strong concern. He frowned up at her in confusion.

"What happened?" She looked away, a sudden look of guilt settling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Renton, it's my fault. I…" She tried to get the words passed the thick wall in her throat. Renton smiled up at her and shook her head.

"No, it wasn't your fault. You were just worried about the kids." Eureka turned her head back. His soft smile was starting to push away the pain in her stomach.

"But…" Renton looked over at the clock on the wall. It was three in the morning. A small flash of surprise shot through him. She had been awake all night for him. He quickly shook it off and looked up at Eureka.

"Eureka… I know you didn't do it intentionally. The flash of… anger must have been from protecting the kids." He lifted his right arm up and wiped a tear that was swelling on the tips of her eye lids. "The kids are back… and I'll be fine." Eureka felt her own smile growing. She looked down at back up at the Renton, motioning something to him. He looked down to see all the kids sleeping around her.

"They were worried too." She whispered back. Renton felt a strong warmth cover his body. He then looked back up to see Eureka's sweet smile. The one that made everything else fade away. She then rested her head next to his. The two could finally fall asleep. This time with out guilt, with out worry, and with out loss. It was the first time that they could all be together in overwhelming joy.


	10. Chapter 10: Passing the Winter Breath

**Chapter 10: Passing the Winter Breath**

"A week Mischa… a whole week!" Renton exclaimed in his irritation. Mischa only briefly looked up to give him a dull face. He sighed and rolled his eyes, while looking up at the several pictures that now covered the wall. With the kids being back, and him being forced to stay in the infirmary, they spent a lot of their time giving him drawn pictures. Though, they weren't really for show. But it still made him feel better to know that they cared. One thing that surprised him though was Maurice's pictures. He couldn't believe how artistic Maurice was getting. One picture he drew was of Renton himself. It was almost stunning, with its much critiqued shadings. But it still had its few mistakes.

"You know Renton." Mischa suddenly spoke out, while reaching down to take off his bandage. "If you hadn't been so rough in getting your body overworked like that. You wouldn't even be here right now. But as it is so, you have to face the consequences." Renton nodded, although he didn't like it, she was right. He shared a quick look down at his arm. The bumps weren't nearly as bad as they had once been. They had actually shrunken a small sum, and the dark black was now fading into normal skin color.

"I know..." He muttered and leaned his head back again. His thoughts shifted to wondering on what Eureka and the kids might be doing.

"Well, I think we're good, sit up for a second." Renton was a little confused, but complied. When he sat up, Mischa looked over the bandaging carefully. "Does this hurt?" She asked and pressed down on his forearm. Renton shook his head. "Good, then I think you're good to go." She smiled, stood up and then retrieved his jacket for him. He instantly looked up in surprise.

"You're going to let me leave?" He asked in stirring hopes. Mischa nodded and grabbed a clip board off the table.

"Only if you follow my rules this time. Your arm has shown significant improvements. So you can lift things, just nothing to heavy. Also, you must drink plenty of fluids." She stepped aside as to let him leave.

"Thank you Mischa!" He quickly bowed and ran out of the room. Mischa shook her while turning back to work. Renton on the other hand rushed down the hall. He stopped every now and then to glance into one of the rooms. Disappointingly he sighed and turned around to see Irik running down the hall holding a paper. He seemed to be looking over it with great intensity. As if the very meaning of life were written upon its smooth surface.

"Something wrong?" Irik almost jumped when Renton spoke. He looked around quickly until he spotted Renton looking at him curiously.

"Y-yes, just having some problems with this work, but don't worry, I think I almost got it figured out." He let out a nervous laugh. Renton frowned, not really believing him.

"Are you sure?" He asked one last time.

"Yes, but thank you any ways Renton." Irik's mood had suddenly become more settle. "I was also just a little surprised to see you out the infirmary. What are you doing now any ways?"

"Oh, well, I'm actually looking for Eureka or the kids. They don't know I'm out yet either."

"I believe I saw them in the lounge earlier. Eureka must have been making them lunch or something of that sort." Renton perked up when he said that.

"Really, thanks a lot." And with that he walked passed Irik, who let out a sigh and shook his head. Renton quickly made his way down the hall, until he stopped in front of the lounge and stepped in. He suspected to walk into a room filled with three kids that would be chattering loudly. But as he did so, the place was empty, except for a strange thumping sound. Curiously he walked in further to see the cooking area. Eureka was standing on the other side of the bar, smiling softly as she was cutting something. Renton couldn't help but watch her for a while. A look of peace and joy was covering her face. Slowly she looked up to see Renton standing on the other side. Her face morphed from relaxed to an excited surprise. She ran around the counter and wrapped her arms around him.

"Renton, when did Mischa let you out?" She asked as Renton embraced her in his own arms.

"Just a little while ago." The two pulled away from each other softly. Their gaze held for a while longer until Renton looked over at the counter. "What are you doing?" He asked her curiously. Eureka looked over at the counter herself.

"I was cooking the lunch for you and me." She responded and shifted her gaze back to him. "The kids already ate."

"Where are they now?"

"Stoner came in wanting to show Maurice something, and Maeter and Linck went to go see Talho's baby." Renton nodded, slightly disappointed that he couldn't surprise them too. But he thought that at least doing it to Eureka was enough. The surprised look that crossed her face was something he'll never forget.

"So, should we finish the food?" He asked, smiling at her. She nodded and shared with him her own warm smile. The two went to the table and continued finished up the food. It wasn't long until they had finished and were sitting at the couch.

"Eureka." Renton spoke out suddenly. She looked over, wondering what was on his mind. "I hear that you haven't seen the Xellien since the battle." He shifted his gaze at her with concern.

"I know…" Eureka looked away, uncomfortable about the subject.

"Was it because of the battle?" Eureka didn't respond, she only found it easy to look away. A sigh drifted from Renton lips. "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to." He smiled down at her with confidence. She slowly looked back up at him, his smile feeding her strength.

"Renton, I'm just scared to go near it." Softly she began.

"What do you mean?"

"When the battle happened, I felt something alien to me. It was like an anger I had never experienced before. I felt scared, I wasn't me any more. But then you reached out and took my hand. At that moment the feelings seemed to run from me." Little puddles started to form in her eyes. "I don't want to go near it with out you." She finished and looked away. Renton was looking at her in surprise.

"Maybe it was just because of the kids?" He suggested the idea hopefully.

"That might have been apart of it…" She didn't seem to mean what she said.

"Eureka, at that moment things were going out of proportion. You had just saved the kids, and we were heading back to the Gekko-Go. The whole situation just wasn't normal." He saw a tear slowly glide down her face. Reaching out he embraced her in his arms. She accepted them willingly and hugged him back.

"I'm sorry Renton." Her muffled voice came into his shoulder. He could feel her crying in his arms. But even though the tears fell, he knew that as long as they were together, they would be ok. They both stayed like that for a long time. Finally they broke away and finished their meal.

After putting away the dished, they decided to go search for the kids. While they walked down the hall, Renton quickly glanced at Eureka. A wave of relief flushed over him when he saw that she was smiling again. They continued down until Eureka suddenly stopped, looking around in confusion.

"Whats wrong?" Renton asked in his own confusion.

"Don't you hear that?" Renton stopped, and was surprised when he could have sworn he heard some one yelling. "Let's go." Eureka suddenly took off towards the sound. He quickly followed behind, but wasn't all too sure that this was a good idea. The closer to the sound they got, the louder it became. Finally they were led to Renton's old room. They both recognized the one yelling as Holland.

"What do you mean you don't know how they got a hold of it?" Holland's muffled voice came through.

"Just like I said, I don't know!" Renton was surprised to hear Irik yelling this time. "They must have found documents on the old experiments. Some one must have caught onto the idea as well." A loud bang rang through the door. Renton assumed it was Holland kicking it, or so he hoped.

"We took you in so we could find you a safer place to live. That weapon is too powerful to be in the U.F.F.'s hands."

"Look Holland, we're safe for now. It looked to be that they have no idea how to control the device. At least not with out this formula." The sound of shuffling paper emitted through the walls.

"What is it?"

"It is the correct way to send the signal over the trapar. With out this, there isn't much they can do but shove down some rough emotions." Irik did his best in defending himself for reasons Renton couldn't understand.

"What about Konner then, it seems to be causing enough problems with out it!" Holland voice began to rise again.

"It's because of the battle… I assume that in the situation, they could easily feed the emotions in." Renton looked up in a mix of confusion and surprise. He suddenly rushed forward and opened the door. Both Irik and Holland turned around.

"What happened to Konner?" Renton asked with utter importance. Holland clenched his teeth and looked back at Irik.

"Why don't you explain it to them Irik? I'm sick and tired of holding your secret." Holland left the room with out another word, leaving Irik in his uncomfortable setting.

"Well?" Renton asked after a prolonged moment. Irik looked around, avoiding any eye contact with either of them.

"The truth was going to be found out at one point… I'm a scientist that previously worked for the U.F., as my father did. He was Xellien, a scientist in helping develop the Amita Drive. Well, after the first summer of love, he discovered something in his works. The compac drive has the ability to pick up emotions from the mind, and then can also help the connection from the rider to the trapar, as you know, its main purpose. But, he discovered that you could do the opposite. You can also feed emotions into the user." He paused for a second, to let it all sink in. Both Eureka and Renton couldn't force away the look of surprise and confusion on their faces. "The U.F. liked the idea, if you could only imagine the power they would have with the device. So they accepted his idea and gave him the resources to work on it. The compac drive had to be redesigned, picking up the new name of the Inverse Drive. When he later continued, it quickly came to his realization of the weapon he was creating. So he ran away… from everything… The U.F., life, and his family. All the documents on the project were destroyed. The U.F. were furious, they wanted that device. So they tracked him down. Eventually they did find him, except he was lying on the ground dead. He had shot himself, trying to protect the information he had." Irik was looking down at the ground in fierce anger. "The U.F. decided to seek at the family. To see if he might have left something behind there. It just so happens that my father did. But none of the scientists could decipher his logic. So they dumped the project, and the weapon was forgotten. At least until I came along. When I got older, I inherited much of my father's talents and abilities. I had a "unique" way of thinking. Once they realized this, they hired me as a scientist on the crew. I refused to do it, but they threatened the death of my mother and sister. So I had no choice but to comply with their demands. I worked on the project, and everything was going well. I had mastered the device, and it should have worked. But there was something wrong, and I could never figure out why. Even with my fathers documents… A year went by with no progress. And just like before, they thought the project was impossible. So they dumped me, and killed off my family any way." Irik actually looked up at Renton. Tears were forming in his eyes. "They killed them with out hesitation, and decided they would let me live. How could they do something so cruel?" He took a sudden step forward, as if begging for the answer. But neither Renton nor Eureka could find the words to speak. After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, Irik started up again, this time with a calm and formal voice. "Eventually everything happened. You guys caused the second summer of love, a little while later, the P.O.F. was formed. Eventually I decided to join the P.O.F. Along with Konner, Klera, and Jake. We all went together. Not long after that, I discovered the glitch in the Inverse Drive. I did tests, documented it, and took it to Commander Jurgens. He instantly saw the dangerous potential of the device, and instantly shut down any production. Information had some how leaked out about it. The U.F. found out, and they chased after me. And that's why I'm here with you, aboard the Gekko-Go. I'm running from the U.F., to keep this formula away from them. If they got a hold of it…" He finished and looked at the two. The tears had disappeared, only leaving behind a face with out emotion. Renton and Eureka couldn't believe all the words Irik had just spoken. He wasn't the boy they had both thought. To be the same age as them, and have such hard trials. For a split second, Renton could almost experience what he was talking about. How he never had a true family. Yet, he never knew his father, and for a long time hated his father. But eventually Eureka helped him realize how great of a father he really was. Sacrificing himself to protect him… and his family.

"What about Konner?" Eureka broke the silence with her voice. An intense expression of guilt shifted on Irik's face.

"The inverse drive must have some how gotten in the prototype. I don't know why, but a week ago, just after the battle. When you guys had returned, he decided to wait outside the Gekko-Go. When both Dominic and Konner were heading back for the Izumo, Konner just randomly broke off with out response. Right now, a small group is trying to find him. The best solution that came to mind on why he left was… because of the Inverse Drive." Irik closed his eyes, trying to suppress foreign emotions. Renton was thinking for a hard moment, trying to understand everything that happened. He was angry at Irik, but then he also pitied him. Suddenly he felt Eureka take his hand. Turning around, he saw Eureka sharing a look of confidence. She understood him all to well. A smile slipped across his face, and he nodded. Turning back around, he faced Irik with complete seriousness.

"Irik… Sometimes we have to forget the pass, and learn from our mistakes. And sometimes people won't forgive us for our mistakes." Renton took a step forward and placed a hand on Irik's shoulder. Irik instantly looked at the hand and then Renton in complete surprise… "We don't blame you Irik, the best you can do is shoulder your sin, and learn from it. And right now, help us in finding Konner." Irik seemed confused, and he looked between Renton and Eureka. Finally he stopped on Renton, sharing eye contact for a few moments. Then a smile slowly formed on his face.

"Thank you Renton…I think I understand now." Renton smiled back, seeing a new strength build inside Irik. At that moment, the door slid open behind them. Eureka and Renton turned around to see Hilda standing at the door.

"Good, Holland said you would be here. Look, Woz was able to tap into the U.F.'s news network. For the past week they've been reporting random attacks from an unknown type KLF." A look of surprised covered their face.

"Konner?" Irik asked while taking a step pass Eureka and Renton. Hilda responded with a quick shrug.

"We're not sure, but that's the best we can hope for. The description of the KLF is very similar to the prototype KLF. Apparently the same KLF is attacking a U.F. command base to the north. But that's not all, apparently the U.F. are sending a large force of KLFs to take it down. Holland made contact with the Izumo when we discovered this. Right now Command Jurgens is rallying three other ships towards the location. Including the Izumo and Gekko-go, that's a total of five ships. This isn't going to be a simple battle, the battle station that we're heading to is A7-89, one of their largest stations on the western shore." Hilda took a deep breath, trying to get everything out as quickly as she could. "Holland wants Renton and Eureka to get in the Xellien. He's hoping you two can capture the prototype along with Konner." Hilda looked at the two intently. Renton shifted his gaze to Eureka, who was already looking at him. For a moment he searched her face for an answer. Wondering if this was ok with her, but his answer came when she expressed her confidence in a short nod. They both looked back at Hilda and nodded in unison. "Good, then prep the Xellien for launch." After finishing she quickly left. Irik turned around, looking at the two.

"Its time you knew something about the Xellien." Irik turned back towards the door and left. Renton was about to run forward, but stop when realizing something. He turned around facing Eureka.

"He called it Xellien…" A look of surprise also shot across her face. But it was followed by a joyous smile. They left the room and moved down the hall towards the hanger. When they reached it, Irik ran forward and opened the cockpit. Renton and Eureka hurried down the steps and climbed up the Xellien. They sat on either side while Irik took a seat inside.

"Ok, Eureka, remember when you asked me about these extra controls?" He asked her. Eureka nodded in comply. "Well, those controls have special significance. Each set represents different weapons equipped or built into the Xellien. Now, I can't explain all of these yet. Because they tie into the other functions of the Xellien that wont make much sense at the moment. Now, these are the two I want you to know about. This first set is a built in side blades. Press this here." He pointed at the first top button. "And activated two blades to extend out on the side arms, press here." He pointed at the next one down. "And it will slant down slightly, giving a better cutting proficiency. Next one down will allow you to pull out the smaller blades. And the one after that will allow you to combine the two blades. Now, careful when activating that option. No statistics have been recorded on it, and we're not sure how it will handle in action." He stopped for a second, looking over the other options carefully. "Ok, this set right here will activate the arm's Fluctuation Drive. Switching in between these two controls right here." This time he pointed at two buttons close to the main control panels. "That will pull trapar in, and this one will push it out with incredible force. Use it appropriately, it's a dangerous weapon. You can adjust its powers by these knobs here." After pointing at them, he stood up and hopped out. "The rest is up to you."

"Thank you Irik." Renton said before sitting down in the cockpit along with Eureka. Irik smiled back down and stepped off the Xellien. They watch him leave, a slight new energy in his steps.

"Just bring Konner back for us all." He yelled back. While walking away he did a short wave. For a brief few moments, Eureka and Renton had time to just themselves.

"Eureka, are you going to be ok?" He asked, looking over at her. Eureka smiled and took his hand.

"Yes, I'll be fine. We can do this together, I know it." Renton felt the own ends of his lips tip into a smile. They held each others hands while they leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. The door to the hanger suddenly burst open.

"Renton!" A voice yelled, which was quickly followed by a rushing movement of feet. Renton looked down in confusion. He saw Mischa running towards them. "You're not riding the Xellien, get out now!" She stopped bellow the Xellien, looking up defiantly at them. Renton looked over at Eureka, who was looking back at him.

"No, I need to ride the Xellien with Eureka." He attempted to convince her. But she was firm in her demands.

"Renton, you're still not ready to ride that thing, get back down now." She pointed at the ground bellow her. Renton knew he couldn't defy her, but he didn't want to leave Eureka either. Finally he realized what he had to do. So slowly he stood up and stepped down from the Xellien. Eureka instantly stood up behind him, but the comm. stopped her from moving any further.

"Eureka, Renton, launch now." Holland's voice came over. Renton turned around, looking at Eureka. A stressed look passed over Eureka's eyes. She didn't respond back to the comm.. "Hello?" Eureka flinched at the sound.

"Renton won't be coming." Eureka bit her lip as she replied to the comm.. There was a long pause from the other side of the comm..

"You'll have to launch with out him then." Holland responded with a strange tone of voice. Eureka's eyes went wide as he spoke. She looked at Renton, and then back down at the comm.. Renton could tell that she didn't want to do it, and he knew why.

"I can't…" She responded weakly, and feared the coming reaction.

"What do you mean you can't?" Holland asked in confusion.

"Not with out Renton."

"What? You've used the Xellien with out him before?" Holland exclaimed over the comm.. Eureka looked around, having no idea how to answer back to that.

"Please…" She begged quietly back to him. "It's different this time." There was a long pause. Renton could only imagine what Holland must possibly be thinking. For the answer was only held between Renton and Eureka. And that's how it was going to stay.

"Fine…" Was all he said before the comm. shut off. Eureka carefully made her way back down from the Xellien. She quickly glanced at Renton, but then looked away guiltily. Renton understood, and he walked out in front of her.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." He whispered. Micha shook her head, not really understanding the situation. With a short sigh, she left the two alone. After some time passed, Eureka titled her head back to look Renton in the eyes.

"I just don't want it to happen again." She whispered back, the sparkle of draining tears formed at her eyes. Renton took a step forward and embraced her in his arms. She willingly accepted them and wrapped her own arms around him. The two decided to head for their room. Since heading to the command room was out of the question.

"Maybe we should get the kids?" Eureka tossed the idea over to Renton as they walked down the hall.

"They might already be at the room waiting for us… Then again, they might just be looking for us. I think they'll find us on their own." Renton shrugged, but he was also slightly curious to know where the kids were. He almost wished they were here with them, since it would have been nice for Eureka. Eventually they made it back to the rooms where they both sat on their beds. It wasn't long until the chaos started from the out side. Explosions could be heard around them, along with the massive shakes that grabbed hold of the ships. Eureka suddenly stood up and sat down next to Renton, leaning against him. At first he was surprised, and looked down. But he noticed that her eyes were tightly shut, as if trying to shut out the world. He knew that she felt guilty about not getting in the Xellien, so he softly reached his arm around her as they leaned against the corner wall. The world felt like it should have faded away, it should have just fallen from the grips of their minds. But this time it didn't happen. Guilt was swimming around in their defenseless stomachs. Every explosion that passed by only pushed at the pressure. No matter how hard they held each other, they both knew what had to be done.

"I have to go…" Eureka whispered in a soft voice. Renton slowly looked down, to see that her gaze was held firmly to the ground.

"You don't have to…" He uttered back to her. But as he said that, the feeling at his stomach stabbed at his sides. "But, they need your help." The words barely made it past his lips. She nodded and they both stood up in unison.

"Then I guess I should go." She started for the door, and Renton followed behind. The two walk down, the hall was silent, solemn, and dark. For they both knew, that no matter how calm the halls were, the chaos on the outside would eventually break its way through. Finally they reached the hanger. The Xellien seemed to just sit there, as if waiting for the inevitable. They moved down the steps, and Renton stopped while Eureka climbed into the Xellien.

"Don't give up on yourself Eureka." He called up softly to her, as the Xellien started for launch. She looked over at Renton and smiled weakly.

"Not this time." And the cockpit sealed shut, completely cutting Renton off from Eureka. It felt as if, at that moment, a cold mist had settled itself into the area.

"Good luck." Was all he felt he could say. With one short wave he made his way back up the stairs and down towards the halls. Instead of stopping at his room, he continued down towards the command center. He knew that he could get a better view of what was happening to Eureka from there. Once he reached the door, he stopped and hesitated to open it. But he wasn't going to hide away, not from the truth. So he walked forward, and the door slid to the side to let him through. The chaos of war shot passed him. Commands from Holland shouted across the room. What seemed like thousands of KLFs swarmed around in the air space bellow the view port. To the side, he saw a tall, bulging tower, covered in a white metallic shell.

"Xellien launched!" Gidget called back to Holland.

"Good, start a safe communication channel with Eureka. We don't want any unwanted ears dropping on the conversation, got that Woz?" Holland shouted back to Woz. In which point he noticed Renton staring out from the balcony, and absolute horror covering his face.

"Mmmhp." Was all Woz replied with, but that was good enough for Holland.

"Incoming attack coming from 245 w!" Gidget shrieked as she gazed at the readings. Holland didn't even to send out the command. Moondoggie was already dragging the controls to the left, causing the Gekko-Go to do a sharp turn. A bright beam of volcanic heat shot by, barely missing the Gekko by a few inches.

"Nice Doggie, turn the ship towards that fourth U.F. ship. And Ken-Goh, prepare to fire the cannons." Holland commanded in his firm voice. Ken-Goh quickly nodded and his hands began moving across the controls.

"I got the firm connection Holland, she's all yours." Woz called from behind.

"Good, Eureka, can you hear me?" Holland called out… There was a long pause of silence. A small feeling started to build in Renton's chest. A cold anxious feeling, like a shoving fear. But finally the speaker crackled to life.

"Yes, I'm having a hard time tracking the prototype. The interference from all the other KLFs is…" She paused as a loud bang came from over the comm. "… It's to much to handle." Holland stopped to think for a second.

"Woz, access a file under the name of Z2-98, then follow down the listed data. Is there anything under there that can be used in finding the prototype?" Holland asked curiously and yet urgently. Woz paused, his head moving back and forth, quickly scanning the data.

"Yes, the prototype has a unique comm. device. If you follow these channels right here." Woz paused again "Then you should be able to find him." Renton looked forward again, back out the view port. At that moment he could see a white and blue LFO flying out far ahead of them. It turned about, slicing through an enemy with a short blade attached to the side of its arm.

"I found him." Eureka's voice broke through Renton's deep thoughts. "He's down by the command center. I'll attempt the retrieval process now." Renton followed the Xellien with ever inch of his mind. He waited for the strangest act of fury.

---

The Xellien soared towards the command center. Its bulky mass poked out of the ground with its many swirling support beams. Eureka took a few deep breaths inside the cockpit. She knew that fighting seemed to pull her away, and even so there was a feeling in her that she couldn't recognize. As the Xellien flew down, she followed the signal that blipped across her screen. It didn't take long until the site of a raving KLF shot around in front of her. It was surrounded in a swirling cloud of chaos. Several over KLFs swarmed around it, both red and blue. Blue Eureka instantly recognized at the U.F. And she assumed that the red one belonged to the P.O.F. As she kept her concentration on the battle, she surfed the Xellien forward. There seemed to be small opening, that if she hit it just right, she would be able to shove the prototype out. So she carefully maneuvered the Xellien down. And when she was just bellow the swarm, she shot up. Several KLFs flew by in a blur of blue and red. But one was in her sites, and she pounded right into it. They both shot forward, right through the chaotic storm. She quickly reached down and opened a channel with his KLF.

"Konner! This is Eureka, please abandon your actions and come with me." She called down into the comm. There came no response, but instead she received a massive kick to the stomach. The Xellien arched back under the sudden attack. The prototype started to turn away, but Eureka couldn't let that happen. She quickly grabbed the controls again. The Xellien dipped down and soared back up, slamming into the prototype. They struggled with each other, one doing little to the other. Eureka tried to find some way of disabling him with out destroying him, but none seemed possible. So they continued to fight with each other, accomplishing nothing. But suddenly the comm. turned on. Not from the Gekko-go, but the Mega-Izumo.

"Eureka, this is Klera. Please give me a direct link to Konner. I need to talk with him." Eureka frowned down in utter confusion. She hesitated at first, but slowly she moved her hands across the controls. A link was then sustained from the Izumo, through the Xellien, and to Konner. "Konner… I know that you can hear me. Please, don't abandon yourself away from the world. I don't know how, but an inverse was installed in your KLF. Don't let it control you, it's not your actions!" There came no response, except for a dark silence. "Konner… please… don't give up on me, because I haven't given up on you." Suddenly at that moment the struggling stopped. Neither the Xellien nor the prototype continued in the pointless match. "Konner, please, I…" There was a long pause. Her voice was starting to become weak. It crackled with every word that was spoken. "I know that you love me… I was just scared… I've always been so logical to the world around me. That love just… even though… Even though I loved you too. So please, just pull out the compact drive… Because I cant loose you. Not after all the things you've done for me." Her voice stopped, and for a second, everything seemed to stop for Eureka. It seemed so unlikely, and so concealed. She never even thought that Konner and Klera… loved each other? Eureka shook her head, trying to keep her focus on the battle. Suddenly the prototype went limp. Life just drifted away from the fragile body. Two red KLFs soared in and grabbed it by the shoulder.

"This battle is over, every one retreat! We have the prototype and Konner, there is no need to continue an utterly pointless feud." At that moment everything just started to calm down. Part of the chaos continued, but it only weakened as all the red KLFs pulled away from the battle. A heavy amount of stress just lifted from Eureka's shoulders. The battle was over, and she no longer felt the compelling need to fight. So she gladly controlled the Xellien to move away, but then something slammed against her. The Xellien fell down in a spinning world of confusion. Eureka quickly grabbed the controls, pushing the board against the wind and righting the Xellien.

"What?" She muttered as her eyes quickly scanned the area. It then came to her realization that she was completely surrounded. Bullets were flaring by, blue KLFs were constantly trying to take her down. "I left to late." She uttered after another loud bang almost knocked her off the board. Another KLF came at the Xellien, but this time she was ready for it. The Xellien swiftly turned around, slicing the KLF in half. It felt apart with a swift explosion. But the attacks didn't stop, more and more KLFs piled against her. She had no choice, but to continue to defend herself. So he twisted the board and slammed it against the enemy. Another one came from bellow, but the Xellien pushed off and flipped with its blade in hand, the sharp tips sliced through the attacking KLF.

"My hands…" She whispered, looking down in slight horror. Her body was starting to become numb. It felt as if something were grabbing old of her, and bending her very mind to its desired will. "No… not again… I have to push it out this time." She closed her eyes and shook her head. But when she looked up, dozens of blue KLFs spread out across her vision. Her breath became heavier and quicker. No matter how much she desired to blink, her eyes would not shut. The computer's beeping rang in her ears. She continued to fight, she had to… Then it all just seemed to stop…

---

"Wow… never knew you had it in you." Jake actually stood in amazement, looking at a very uncomfortable Klera.

"Some equations have to be done… whether their formula is understandable or not. I was just pushing away the one I didn't understand. But… I think that's different now." She muttered the last sentence slightly, but there was also something else in her voice that Jake noticed. In all the years he had known her, he had actually never seen her with such a flare. She looked up and out the window, to where a limp KLF was being carried back to the fleeing Izumo.

"Well, I was wondering when the mold was going to break." Jake chuckled slightly as he stepped up next to her. Klera actually laughed herself, instead of criticizing him. He couldn't help but stare at her. A change that he never thought was possible has now submerged her. But what amazed him most was how fast it happened.

"I hope he can remember what I said." Klera said next to him. Jake shifted his gaze over curiously.

"I some how imagine he won't forget… It seems like through you that he was able to find strength to resist. I mean, you know his fear of fighting. Even living in the city Ciudades Del Cielo, and preventing some of the bombings, it still didn't make a difference. But you would only know all to well, since that's where Konner found you right?" Klera nodded and leaned against the bar, looking out the view port in deep thought.

"I'm sure one day he'll find the strength he needs to overcome his fear." Klera stood up as the escorts carried the prototype closer to the Izumo. Jake looked between the two with a strange thought.

"Maybe the strength he needs is already with him…" Klera jerked her head at him with an inquisitive look. He chuckled and stood up. "But hey, what would I know, I'm only a scientist." And with that he started for the door. Klera looked back at him suspiciously, but then gave off a simple shrug and followed him. "Though, I hope you know that, "every" one knows now." Jake seemed to be holding in his own pleasurable laugh. Klera rolled her eyes as the door shut behind them.

---

"Where's the Xellien, why hasn't it returned with the rest of the group?" Holland demanded as the Gekko-Go flew over the calming chaos. Both sides started to pull away. But occasionally a loud explosion would ring through the sky.

"In back of us, she's covered in an immense amount of U.F. KLFs." Renton's head jerked up.

"Dang it… ok, quickly turn the Gekko-Go towards her position. Ken-Goh. Prepare a scatter shot to fly by, so that we can open a way for Eureka to get out." Both MoonDoggie and Ken-Goh nodded. Renton could only watch in hopelessness. His body suddenly felt useless, now that he was unable to help the one he loved. Yet inside his stomach, something burned. It was enduring hope, the absolute need to go out and do something. Yet, there was only the air to grab. "Gidget, connect us with the

Mega-Izumo." Gidjet raised her head and nodded when the connection was established. "Commander Jurgens, are you there?" Holland asked, although he already assumed the answer.

"This is him, what is it Holland?" The firm voice responded.

"Eureka hasn't returned to battle yet. It seems that she's stuck with a group of KLFs. We're going to send in a scatter shot, hopefully it will throw them off.. But I don't think that's going to be enough, can you send in some back up?" He asked. There was a short pause before the comm. opened again.

"Yes, they're on their way now. I'm sending in about ten, so make it quick." Jurgens finished and turned off the comm. Holland nodded and turned back to Gidget.

"Gidget, open a link with the Xellien."

"Got it." She responded and returned to her excessive scanning.

"Eureka, we're sending in support from the Izumo. Before they arrive, the Gekko-Go will fire a scatter shot. When that happens, the enemies should split away, or at least they will if they're smart. When that happens, I want you to take advantage of the confusion and get out of there. Got it?" He asked… but no response came. With a frown of confusion he looked over at Gidget, seeking an answer. She looked up at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"The connections just fine." She pointed down at the console, revealing that she had no idea.

"Strange, well try restarting the connection." Gidget nodded and turned her attention back down to the controls.

"Support coming in, firing the scatter shots!" Ken-Goh announced as four beams quickly shot out from the Gekko-Go. The force knocked them back slightly, but the heated beam soared across the sky. The U.F. units quickly dodged out of the way. And just a few moments later, the P.O.F. made their move. With the confusion in place, the P.O.F. easily took down some of the enemy KLFs. A path was quickly cleared for the Xellien to make it out. But at that moment, nothing happened. The Xellien just kept darting around, taking down the KLF units. One of the P.O.F. units finally moved in and tried to grab her, to carry her away from the battle. But the Xellien reacted with a swift fury. It turned around and cut off an arm of the red KLF. It fell back in shock, never expecting an attack from an ally.

"No…" Renton muttered, the truth wrapping itself around his mind. He knew what was happening, but every one else on the bridge raised in confusion. Slowly he turned around, his body taking over him. The feeling, the need to something submerged his body. With out another moment of hesitation, he left the command room.

---

"What, she attacked him?" Holland shook his head in confusion. Everyone else seemed to be in the same emotion.

"Maybe she was caught off guard from all the action?" Moondoggie suggested from the front. Holland shook his head.

"No… Eureka isn't built like that. Her mind is always on her objective. Something isn't right…" The battle continued, and a few of the P.O.F. units were taken down. But yet the Xellien stood strong, completely annihilating the enemies who opposed her.

"What…" Gidget muttered, squinting down at the computer screen. Her words didn't escape Holland's ears.

"What is it?" He quickly asked, hoping that some how she might explain the confusion.

"The catapult door is opening… and… The 606 is launching!" Holland quickly turned his head back to the balcony, which was now empty. A breath of fresh annoyance seethed through his teeth.

"It's Renton." He noted with out even confirming. "Open a direct link with the 606." Gidget nodded and worked at the controls.

"Link sustained." Gidget announced.

"Renton, what are you doing out in the 606?... You know, never mind, I know why you're there. But what I want to know is how do you think you're going to do it?" Holland asked inquisitively, but his voice hinted at sarcasm. No response came as the 606 pulled out in front of the Gekko-Go, zooming towards the battle.

"All I have to do is get to her… That's all" Renton responded with complete seriousness. No fear was hidden in the back of his voice, he almost sounded as if her truly knew what he was doing. It was a voice that Holland had heard once before… a long time ago.

"Then I leave it up to you… But don't die, and it better come back with out a single scratch."

"No guarantees." Renton responded as he shut off the comm.. Holland didn't laugh, but instead he leaned forward and gazed out at the situation. There was something else going on that didn't make sense. And he knew that the truth would eventually find its way into his grips. But in the mean time, he was getting slightly annoyed.

---

The 606 charged towards the storm of KLFs. Bullet flew by, along with a few attempted melee attacks, but Renton easily avoided them. At the moment, those didn't matter, all his sites were on the Xellien. Slowly he reached down and clicked on the comm..

"Eureka, this is Renton, please respond." Renton looked down at the comm.'s complete silence. Anger started to build in his mind. He reached down and shut off the comm.. Clenching his teeth, he shoved the controls forward. "She's not going to be taken away…" Renton whispered in a cold seething voice. The 606 pierced the winds, getting closer and closer to the Xellien. He felt everything falling back into place, Eureka was only an arms length away. So he reached out to grab, and push her away from the battle.

---

"Ken-Goh, prepare another scatter shot. We might just need one when Renton gets the Xellien out." Ken-Goh nodded and started to work at the console. Holland sat back, looking closely out towards the battle. The 606 was drawing nearer to the Xellien, but then something happened that made the muscles in his arms tighten. The Xellien turn around and stabbed its sword right into 606. The blade cut through the armored shell with little resistance. He stood up, and gazed out to what just happened. After that, everything just seemed to stop.


	11. Chapter 11: Tossing Reality

**Chapter 11: Tossing Reality**

It all just seemed to stop… Where she was, how it was happening, and why it was happening. The anger that filled her body faded, and she was left gripping the controls. All knowledge of what she had just done faded into her mind. Eureka's hand began to tremble, she couldn't grip the controls as she gazed out the view port and at the 606. Just a few seconds before, she was defending herself from the enemy. But she couldn't comprehend why her body commanded itself to attack with out understanding what it was attacking. Her breath starting to become quicker and shorter as the realization hit her.

"Renton…" She whispered… Utter shock covering her wide eyes. Her blade had gone strait through the cockpit. Who ever was inside, would have been dead. But she knew who it was, and she refused to believe it. Her hand shot across the controls, opening the cockpit, and the sword retracted. But before the 606 could fall, the Xellien reached out and embraced it in its own arms. She stumbled out of the Xellien, and climbed her way back over to the 606.

"Renton!" She screamed at the 606's cockpit door… but no response would come. Slowly she shifted her vision to the emergency door lock. She began to reach over for it, but her hand stopped. What ever the door opened to… she wasn't sure she wanted to witness. But she reached out and gripped it anyway, turning the cold hard handle. The 606's cockpit door slid up and back. Her eyes shut tightly eyes tightly, but then opened again. Renton was sitting in the pilot's chair, out cold from the world. There was a large hole running through the metal, barely missing in between his legs. Metal twisted out in sharp pointed edges. She noticed blood was flowing down his forehead, from a gapping cut at the side. His leg was also slightly moist with a damp red, but Eureka couldn't tell how deep the cut was. Something else that caught her eye, something that seemed to jolt her with an energy she had never felt before. Renton's chest slowly rose and fell again… or in other words, he was breathing. She quickly hopped down into the cockpit and unbuckled his safety strap. Then she pulled him out with all the strength that her arms were able to produce. Warm tears started to fall across her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Renton…" She muttered as she dragged him across the 606 and to the Xellien. The shivering wind blew across them, making it hard to keep Renton from falling off. Finally she reached the Xellien, but there was a small gap that separated the two. She shifted her legs and heaved him onto the Xellien. For a few seconds she stopped, and looked around to see what else was happening. More P.O.F.s units had come in to cover her. A small whisper of thanks drifted through her lips as she began to drag Renton into the cockpit.

The cockpit closed and Eureka immediately turned the Xellien around. Her mind was on overdrive, everything she did had a hint of Renton in thought. Every other second she would turn to see if he was still breathing. But as her eyes scanned the surroundings, she finally spotted what she was looking for. The Gekko-Go was flying over head, and the sun shining just above it, causing a shadowy silhouette. Eureka dipped the board upward, and the jets on the back exploded with streaming heat, pushing the Xellien forward along with the 606. Her vision began to become blurry as the Gekko-Go got closer. She knew that the device had taken her again, and if Renton hadn't come to save her…

When the Xellien neared the Gekko-Go, to Eureka's surprise, the catapult door opened as if expecting her. She didn't hesitate to comply, but immediately turned the Xellien up and swerved it inside. The 606 slipped from its hands, crashing against the metallic floor. The Xellien then transformed into its car form and landed on the ground, while coming to a screeching halt. Eureka reached across and opened the cockpit.

"Eureka…" A whisper so weak, that Eureka could feel her tears purging again. Swiftly she turned to Renton, to see his eyes open.

"Renton, it's going to be ok, I got you now." She forced a smile as she pulled Renton out the cockpit. But her arms were starting to tire, and couldn't handle the weight.

"I'm sorry Eureka… I couldn't be there." His voice was a little stronger, but she could tell that it was diminishing.

"Renton… No… I." She searched for the words in her mind, but it didn't come. The two became silent as they moved across the hanger. Suddenly the door to the hanger slammed open, Mischa, Matthieu, Holland, and Talho charged down the steps. She stopped, relief pushing out some of the stress in her body. Help had finally come to save Renton. Mischa charged forward and crouched down by Renton, checking over his wounds carefully. A sigh of relief came from Mischa's mouth.

"Just a few cuts, he'll be alright. But we should get them patched up." Mischa motioned to Matthieu who nodded and took Renton from Eureka. Eureka briefly stood up and began to follow, but she stopped when she felt the eyes of Holland on her. The gaze on her sent a hard pressure of guilt through out her body. He was confused, surprised, worried, and even suspicious. All those words drifted into her mind as she saw his face. When she tried making eye contact with Talho, Talho only looked away.

"I think we need to have a talk Eureka…" Holland spoke in a casual voice, but still seemed unsure. She nodded and turned toward him, knowing that she had little choice.

"That'll have to wait, looks like Eureka has a problem herself." Frowning, Eureka turned toward Mischa, who advanced and lifted her arm. Eureka looked down to see her side was moist with blood, along with a small tare in her white and blue clothing.

"How did…" She muttered in confusion. Mischa looked over it carefully.

"That's a pretty deep cut, come on Eureka. You're coming with us as well." The tension in Eureka's body had just faded, and she followed them out. Though it was a cut, she was just happy that she no longer had to talk with Holland. And while they walked back up the stairs, she turned her head to see Holland and Talho looking at her strangely. A shiver rushed down her spine and she quickly turned back to Mischa.

As they moved down the hall, Eureka felt her steps getting slightly wobbly. Mischa noticed this and helped her along.

"Do you know how you got the cut?" Mischa asked her inquisitively." Eureka looked down, thinking about it carefully, but there came no memory.

"I don't remember, it might have happened while I was getting Renton out." She thought back to the twisted metal, it now seemed very likely.

"I see, well, we'll have to do a complete check on you." She pointed at other red marks on her shirt. "We're not sure if that's Renton's or yours." Eureka looked down at the wounds, the thought slightly sickening her stomach. They finally reached the infirmary where Eureka and Renton were both placed on medical beds.

"Attention!" Holland voice broke through the comms.. "We're retreating from the battle at full velocity. You just might want to hold onto something for a second." Mischa nodded at Matthieu who quickly complied by grabbing Eureka's medical bed and holding something that was firm into the ground. Mischa did the same thing with Renton. And just a few seconds later, the whole ship shook as the back jets boomed to life. After a minute had passed, everything calmed once again. Eureka turned her head to see Renton was still asleep. She then turned her head back to the ceiling… wanting more then anything to speak with him at that moment. But she knew that no words would come from his lips.

"Ok Matthieu, thank you, I can take it from here." Mischa said and Matthieu left with a short nod. She walked over to Eureka and handed her a small cloth. "Hold this against your side." Eureka did so as Mischa started check over Renton.

---

An hour passed by as Micha patched up the wounds on Eureka and Renton. Eureka noticed that Renton had a cut on his head, the side of his leg, and his left arm. She herself had a deep cut in her side, and another just on the side of her leg.

"That should be ok for now." Mischa said as she finished wrapping Eureka's leg in a bandage cloth. Both Renton and Eureka were in patient type clothing. "How does it feel?" She asked, motioning at the leg.

"It stings slightly, but not to bad." Eureka casually responded.

"Good, then you to should be ok for now. In the mean time, you should try and get some rest. I'll get some one to bring dinner in an hour or so." Mischa walked over to the table and started to write something down. Eureka lifted her head in curiosity.

"What are you writing?" Eureka asked.

"A do not disturb sign." Eureka tilted her head in surprise.

"What about the kids?" Mischa sighed and started for the door, but she stopped and turned around.

"I don't want any one disturbing you two at the moment. Truly Eureka, you two have had enough for the day. Don't worry, tomorrow the kids will be allowed to come and see you." Eureka nodded in disappointment, really hoping to see the kids. Mischa shared a small grin before walking out the door.

"Eureka…" A rather strong voice spoke to her. She turned her head in surprise, to see Renton's eyes open and looking up at the ceiling. He seemed to be deep in thought. At that moment, she really wanted to know what. Slowly he turned his head to look at her, but no smile came to his face this time. It suddenly became difficult for her to hold eye contact with him. "It happened again… right?" He asked.

"Yes…" She answered simply, yet uncomfortably.

"… You didn't know it was me… right?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer. Eureka instantly twisted her head in urgency.

"Of course I didn't know!" She almost yelled, which took Renton by surprise. But he could see the tears starting to swell in her eyes. "I had no idea… I was so cold… so alone. But then I felt something reaching out to me, it was warm and familiar, it was you. When it all came back, I saw the Xellien's blade inside the 606. That wasn't me that attacked… I don't even know who that was. But I had no idea that I was attacking you..." She turned her head, facing away from Renton. He could hear her muffled breaths, trying to suppress the urge to cry. A wave of guilt piled itself into his stomach. He couldn't believe he just assumed such a thing. Suddenly he shifted his weight and got on his feet. Then, slowly he dragged his medical bed closer to hers, so they were no longer on the opposite ends of the room, but right next to each other. Eureka turned her head to see what he was doing. She was surprised to see him moving the bed, every step showed the pain in his wounded leg. When he reached her, he laid back down on his bed, and reached across taking her hand. She shifted her vision between Renton and his hand. Then she took his hand with both of hers.

"I'm sorry Eureka." He whispered back to her. She shook her head, and let a warm smile spread across her face.

"Renton... Thank you." She smiled as well. Finally they both let the guilt and worry drain from their bodies. They were free from the pain of the world, only being left with the pains of their bodies. But those didn't matter, because they both knew that those would heal. Ever so slowly, Eureka eyes became heavier, as she felt the urge of sleep starting to claim her. And as Renton watched fatigue overcome her, he felt his own desire for sleep creep on his tired body. He closed his eyes along with Eureka, as they both fell into the world of regeneration.

---

"How is he doctor?" Klera asked a tall black haired man. She almost felt intimidated by his sheer height. The doctor turned around with a friendly smile, and small little clip board.

"He'll be fine, his body just need plenty of rest. If you want to visit him, you can, but I don't think he'll be awake for a while." His voice, not very surprisingly, was deep. But Klera was satisfied with the answer, and she smiled in gratitude.

"Thank you, that really means a lot to me." He nodded and motioned at the door. Then he walked down the hall, moving on to other duties. As he did so, Klera quickly seized the chance to walk in. When the door opened, she spotted Konner lying on the bed. A light was lit dimly at the side of his bed, leaving the room in cool shading. A sigh drifted from her lips as she walked over to a chair and sat down next to him. Her gaze kept on his sleeping face for a long time.

The door opened and two people walked in. Klera looked up in surprise to see both Dominic and Anemone.

"Hey Klera, how is he doing?" Dominic asked, looking over at Konner with true concern. It seemed as though Dominic was actually starting to form a friendship with Konner, much like Anemone and Klera had started a while back

"He's is doing fine, the doctor said he just needed plenty of rest." Klera responded, and a relieved smile spread on Dominic's face.

"Good…" Anemone looked between Konner and Klera curiously. She smiled and tilted her head at her.

"And how about you Klera, how are you doing?" She asked with a tinge of mischievousness. Klera looked up in confusion, but looked back down, blushing slightly. "As I thought, well Dominic, best we leave the two alone." Dominic looked over at Anemone in his own confusion. But then it clicked for him.

"Oh, alright, I think I had a report I needed to finish up any way." He said as they both turned around to walk out.

"No way, not this time Dominic. You're taking a break from your work." Anemone pressured him with a defiant voice. Dominic backed away slightly in defense, a nervous smile emerging on his face. But as he did so, just before the door closed, Klera noticed something in between them. It was small, but it spoke something that couldn't be uttered in words. She saw them holding their hands, and even though they bickered with each other. That bond was still being held. She looked back up to see the door closing behind them. She shifted her gaze back down to her own hand, and then at Konner's.

"Must be a strong bond." She whispered more to herself then Konner. But ever so slightly, she reached her hand out and took his. A smile slipped across her face, as a warm feeling flushed over her body.

---

"What do you supposed caused it?" Hap asked Holland, who was leaning on a bar, with his arms folded. They were both left alone in the command room. Holland sighed and shook his head, while shifting his gaze to the ceiling.

"I don't know… I've never seen her act up that way." He replied.

"Could it have something to do with the Xellien?" Haps suggested the idea. Holland turned around and rested his elbows on the railing, while looking out the view port.

"I don't know, Irik never said anything about it. He told me that the machine was in perfect working condition, and besides, I've already asked the exact question. I'm going to trust him on this one. But it still worries me." Hap shifted his gaze to the view port as well.

"And the news report from Jurgens?" Hap asked him curiously, which received a short nod.

"Yes, with half of those kids he took in being spies. They had confessed that they were the ones who installed the prototype Inverse Drive." The piece of information shot a look of surprise on Hap's face.

"So it was them… when did he confirm this with you?"

"Just an hour ago… But that's not what's truly peeking at my nerves." Holland looked over at Hap, fierce importance passing over his face. "It's all the news coming in from the P.O.F.'s Traitor Log. The command center in Bellfrost, the kids, and other small reports are popping in left and right." He looked out the window again. "There is no way of telling who can be trusted of the P.O.F.. From now on, we'll have to keep our ears sharp, and our eyes pealed." Hap nodded in agreement, completely understanding the level of importance.

"I'll have to talk with Gidjet, Jobs, and Woz. But in the mean time, you should get back in contact with Jurgens. We need to discuss with him the full danger of this situation." This time Holland nodded.

"I know, I've already discussed with him some of my worries. He's a smart man, he won't hesitate to take action. I just hope the rest of the P.O.F. follows his lead." They continued to look out the window, the sun slowly setting bellow the horizon. Both were caught in their own thoughts, considering how this is going to falter their plans on living as the Gekko-State.

---

"Thanks kids for helping make dinner." Talho rubbed their heads affectionately. They all nodded in excitement. "You guys can go eat now yourselves, I got it from here."

"Ok!" Linck almost yelled as he and Maeter both ran around the counter and back into the lounge. Maurice stayed behind, a look of serious reflection on his face.

"Talho." He spoke out as she turned to gather more food. She turned around with a friendly smile, and looked down to see his face. A frown crossed her face in confusion.

"Something wrong Maurice?" She asked. He quickly shook his head, and looked directly up at her.

"No, I just want to know how they're doing." Talho knew who he was talking about, and she took a few steps forward, while kneeling down to his height.

"They'll be just fine, don't worry." She smiled and reached across, rubbing his head gently. Maurice smiled weakly and nodded.

"Ok." She stood up and watched Maurice run around the counter to join with his siblings. Talho sighed as the smile quickly faded. She turned back and served up two more dishes of food. Then carefully she started for the door. She quickly eyed the kids, making sure they didn't see her walking out. Luckily for her, the rest of the crew was causing a big enough distraction. So ever so quietly, she slipped out the door and into the hall.

As she walked down the hall, she stopped at the infirmary and turned inside. To her surprise, both Renton and Eureka were awake, talking with each other. It seemed as though some one had moved Renton's bed closer to Eureka. But to her relief, they were both smiling at each other. What ever happened, it cleared all doubt that she had about the two. Even though what had happened, they still loved each other.

"Hey." She spoke out and stepped forward. The two looked up in mild surprise.

"Hey Talho." Renton replied as his eyes settled on the food she was holding.

"Just thought I would bring in dinner." She said with that same tender smile. After that, she set the plates on two trays, and handed it to them. They both sat up and started to look over their dinner intently.

"Thank you Talho." Eureka smiled in gratitude.

"Yes, thank you." Renton quickly said himself. Talho nodded and started for the door.

"Ummm, Talho." Eureka spoke suddenly, and Talho turned around. "Are the kids doing ok?" She asked, concern starting to build in her face. Talho responded with a gentle smile and warm nod.

"Yes, they're doing just fine." Eureka sighed in relief, and nodded in gratitude. Talho saw that she was no longer needed, and left the room, leaving the two to themselves.

---

Eureka and Renton finished their food, and settled back as the time for sleep came. Renton turned his head to look at Eureka, who was looking back up into the ceiling. '

"How are your wings?" He asked on a random subject. Eureka shifted her head in surprise, but she smiled and looked down at her exposed wing.

"They're fine, I just wish I didn't have to sleep on my back. But it hurts a more to sleep on my side. She reached down and rubbed the bandage across her stomach softly.

"Do you mind if I?" Eureka curiously turned around and followed his line of sight to her wings. She blushed slightly and nodded. Slowly he reached across and placed his hand on her smooth wing. It was extremely soft against his skin, and perfectly warm. Eureka kept watching comfortably, a gentle smile on her face. She suddenly reached up and took his hand. Then she pulled it closer and rested her head on its palm. Renton watched in surprise, but a smile formed on his face. Both were left in a blissful state, free from any captivity the world could produce. So they both fell asleep, in the feeling of peace.

---

Renton felt as if he were floating in nothing but warm air. He softly opened his eyes to see Eureka clinging to him, as he was back holding onto her. They were floating in a dim setting, soft colors floated around in the back round. Eureka was resting her head against his chest, and even though he had no idea where they were… he felt safe. But it also felt so strange.

"Eureka." He softly whispered down to her. There was an obvious smile on her face.

"Yes?" Eureka responded in a gentle voice. Renton shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Never mind." They held onto each other, just floating in the warm air. But suddenly they felt as if they were falling. Gravity had just turned on unexpectedly. Both of their eyes shot open as they looked around.

"What in the…" Renton spoke out, looking around in confusion. Eureka was doing the same thing. The dim colors had turned into a complete blackness. And the warm air had drained, and was filled with a cold frost.

"Where are we?" Eureka asked, looking around desperately.

"I don't know, weren't we just in the infirmary?" Confusion was rushing around in his eyes. They kept falling for what felt like forever, until it all just stopped. Their feet were suddenly against the ground. They looked around to see that they were in a large kitchen, how large they couldn't tell. It seemed as if the tables dragged on forever.

"Renton, Eureka?" A voice said with confusion behind them. They both turned around to see Hap in chefs clothing. He was by himself in the never ending room.

"Ummm… Hap… where are we?" Renton asked in utter bewilderment. The man shook his head and motioned them to come closer.

"That doesn't matter, but it's a good thing you're here. I need you to help me with this cooking." He exclaimed and pulled out two empty card board boxes. Both Eureka and Renton looked at the box, no comprehension on what was happening would enter their minds. "What are you waiting for? Startcutting them!" He pointed at the box in frustration.

"T-the boxes?" Renton asked in complete confusion. Hap nodded vigorously and then shook his head. Eureka stepped forward first, and Renton followed behind.

"This cant be right…" She muttered as she took the box and fumbled with it curiously.

"I guess I must be dreaming…" Renton mumbled as he took a box as well. Eureka turned to him and cocked her head.

"You're dreaming? I've never had a dream so strong before. It all feels so real… Even you Renton." She turned back to the box and slowly started to tare at its edges. Renton on the other hand stopped to look at her suspiciously.

"Are you saying that you're the one dreaming?" He asked. Eureka turned and politely nodded. Renton turned around and scratched his head in frustration. The whole thing was just too overwhelming.

"Maybe we're both dreaming?" She suggested and continued to rip the box in half. Renton stood strait and nodded in agreement.

"You remember being in the infirmary?"

"Yes." She responded simply.

"Then where is thi-" Renton stopped when a loud clang of metal rang through the air. Both Eureka and Renton turned their heads to see Hap looking down the table in horror.

"Hap, what is it?" Eureka asked urgently, twisting her head to see what he was looking at. Renton did as well, and what he saw utterly blew his mind. A large... huge blender was hopping its way towards them.

"That… can't be right." Renton felt like he was about to scream.

"Not again… It's coming for me again!" Hap yelled and turned around, running with all his strength. Eureka and Renton caught the same idea, and turned around to escape as well. But the minute they faced the other direction, they were floating again in darkness.

"What's going on?" Renton took a deep breath in disbelief.

"Renton!" He quickly turned his head to see Eureka desperately reaching out for him. Some how they had drifted away from each other. Quickly he tried to grab her hand, but a bare inch separated their success.

"Eureka!" With all his strength he yelled, trying to just grasp her finger. They both looked down to see a white light growing larger. Before they knew it, they were both surrounded in a bright blinding light. Renton covered his eyes, shielding them from the sheer intensity. After a moment, he opened his eyes again to see he was in a long field with wavy green grass. The skies were a pure blue, not a spec of white to be seen.

"Eureka…" He whispered in fear, and continued looking around, but all he found, was that he was alone.

"Look out down there!" An extremely high pitched voice yelled down to him. When he looked back up, he witness two very large boats sailing at each other. Or he assumed sailing, there seemed to be no trapar. But each one was loaded with over sized cannons, and the ships were bulky beyond belief. From what Renton could tell, it was a very cartoonish looking ship.

A rope ladder dropped from the side of the ship, clearly aimed at Renton. He quickly jumped up and grabbed onto it. The force of the ship took him by surprise, as he was dragged along. But he quickly gathered his footing and climbed his way up to the top of the ship. Once he reached it, a man stepped forward and saluted.

"Second in command Barfy I understand? Why aren't you in uniform?" The tall man asked in confusion, looking him up and down.

"Don't worry, leave him to me!" The same high pithced voice came again. Both Renton and the man turned their heads to see Linck. He was standing proudly, in a small little uniform that almost made Renton laugh.

"Linck?" Renton almost yelled, running forward to get a better look at him. "What are you doing here… where is here?" Renton asked, looking about in utter confusion. Linck tilted his head up with his own confusion.

"We're here to finally take down the dreaded Captain Maeter!" Linck pointed in the distance at a black ship sailing towards them. Renton blinked a few times, looking in between the two.

"Ok…" He muttered as his eye twitched.

"Captain! They're almost within firing range!" A man yelled from atop the ship.

"Attack!" Linck yelled excitedly as he ran to the back of the ship. Renton followed, but stopped and fell to the ground.

"I'm so confused." Once again he started to itch his head violently in confusion.

"Sir, their going to ram us!" The same man yelled again.

"Ok!" Linck yelled back. Renton's eyes shot open and he sat up, looking at the black ship draw closer and closer.

"Ummm… I don't think that's such a good idea… heh." He kept staring, a nervous smile stretched across his face. The two ships were about to clash, and Renton closed his eyes tightly.

---

Eureka's eyes shot about, looking for any sign of Renton. But he seemed to be gone…

"Renton!" She yelled into the empty air. No response came, and she felt a fear starting to build inside her. "He's gone…" Closing her eyes tightly, she attempted to wake up from this nightmare.

"Mama?" A voice spoke out from behind her. Eureka opened her eyes to see she was sitting on a pure white floor. No matter where she looked, it seemed as if she were in a never ending colorless box. Slowly she turned around to see Maurice sitting on a small stool. Next to him was a canvas on a stand.

"Maurice?" Eureka stood up in complete bewilderment. Maurice seemed to be just as confused.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking around to see if there was any one else.

"I don't even know what's going on… what are you drawing?" She asked suddenly, and stepped forward to see it. Maurice quickly blushed, and slid to the side to block it from her site.

"It's nothing, just a scribble of something I drew…" Eureka stepped forward and stopped.

"Let me see Maurice." She looked down at him with gentle eyes. Ones that were the sign of his beloved mother. Ever so gently, he slid aside to reveal his painting. To Eureka's surprise, it was beautiful. Mountains rose in the back round, tipped with icy tops. They were settled in a sea of dark green trees, that almost looked as if they were waving in the wind. A pure white bench sat up close, with two people sitting in it. Eureka squinted, and took a step forward to see who they were. It was her and Renton sitting next to each other. They both were looking into each others eyes, as if in complete happiness. Eureka felt a smile slip across her lips.

"Maurice… this is absolutely-" She turned her head and only saw darkness. When she shifted her gaze back to the painting, it was gone as well, replaced by piled shadows.

---

Renton opened his eyes again to see he was in a completely different setting. This time the smell of smoke drifted into his nose. It burned at the inside of his lungs, trying to escape with no success. He coughed a few time and stood up. The place was dark, with only an orange haze to bare light. His irritated eyes looked around to see crumbled buildings, masked in burning flames. Over head he could see large black ships flying, just waiting to crush their pray. The sound of a gun exploded from behind him, he quickly turned around to see two men struggling with each other. One seemed angry, fierce, about to burst with anger. While the other was calm, pristine, emotionless to the soul.

"You can't rule me any more!" The angered one yelled, and quickly pointed his gun at the man's head. Renton instantly recognized who it was, but his mouth would utter no words. Holland was lying on the ground, the black barrel of a gun on his forehead.

"Stop haunting my nightmares…" A cold voice drifted from the other man. The trigger was pulled and Renton had to twist his head away, unable to witness the murder. When he turned around, the man was standing back up again. But this time he recognized the other man… to be Holland.

"W-what's going on?" Renton croaked and fell to his knees. Nothing was making sense to his bewildered mind. Holland turned around in confusion, flinching when he saw Renton.

"Renton… what are you doing here?" He stepped forward and crouched down, looking him over to see if he was ok.

"Holland, where is this place… where am I… what is going on?" Renton begged for the answers, but Holland could only stare in utter confusion.

"I don't know… but I've relieved this nightmare several times. This is the first I've seen you here…" He stood back up when he saw that Renton was ok.

"Holland, something isn't right." Suddenly the world around them started to melt away, as if to disappear. Renton realized that the worlds were changing again.

"Holland… I don't know what's going on, please help me and Eureka!" Holland tilted his head, not knowing what to do. But as the rest of the world faded, so did Holland. And Renton was left in the cold dark abyss.

---

Eureka blinked for only a seconds, but when she closed her eyes and opened them again. She was again in a different place.

"Not again… where am I this time?" She stood up and looked about the strange area. This time she was in the middle of what seemed like a large forest. The trees didn't cover this one spot, leaving a clear open area. She turned around to see a white table with four chairs. Sitting in them was Holland and Talho. Both were cradling their baby, and playing around with it, filling the area with its new born laugh. Eureka couldn't help but smile at the joy and happiness the three seemed to be sharing. But she still needed to find out where she was, so she decided to intrude.

"Talho." She spoke and walked forward. Talho looked up and frowned in confusion.

"Eureka, did you decided to join us at last? Where is Renton, is he alright?" Talho asked with such a kind and gentle voice, that it seemed to flush a feeling of peace on Eureka. She softly motion at one of the empty chairs for Eureka to sit down. Politely Eureka stepped forward and took the chair.

"I…I don't know where Renton is…" She admitted uncomfortably.

"Oh… I see… did you loose him?" Talho asked her, no change in her pleasant tone.

"Yes, and I want to find him again. But I don't know where to look." Eureka slowly lifted her eyes to Talho, who was looking down at her baby with complete and utter joy.

"Don't worry Eureka… you'll find him." Talho looked up and shared a smile of confidence, and at the same time was extremely calm. Eureka tilted her head, not understanding how Talho knew if she was going to find her. But when she blinked again, the world was yet again… gone.

---

"Eureka!" Renton yelled out into the never ending darkness. But all he could hear was the hollow air. Suddenly he felt ground beneath him. "What in the?" He whispered, looking down and around to where he was. But this time no world filled his surroundings, but this instead he was still left with darkness. Stones suddenly fell from the sky and landed down in front of him, perfectly aligned with out distortion. He curiously stepped on it, and it didn't give under pressure. The stone seemed to create a path for him to follow, so he continued down its path.

After what felt like hours of walking, a large building just appeared in his sites. The large two story building stood alone in the empty vastness. Above the door hung a sign with the words "hotel" inscribed upon it. Each word gave off a soft red neon glow. The hotel was painted in complete gray, and each window was emitting a yellow glow. Everything about it gave off an ominous aura, but Renton walked up to the door and entered anyway.

He entered into a small room, only lit with a few dimming lights. Looking around, he spotted the counter. A girl stood there, about his age, with beautiful teal hair. It suddenly grasped his realization that it was Eureka. Complete unbelief shot through him, but it was smoldered down by his complete joy and relief. He ran around the counter and wrapped his arms around her.

"Eureka… Eureka you're here, you're alright." He gasped in between heavy breaths. But as he held her, she did not move back. Inside his arms she seemed very cold, almost dead. Puddles of fear suddenly settled in his stomach. He pulled away and she fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. "E-Eureka?" His throat started to close on him as he looked at her in shocked terror.

"What is it Renton?" An amused voice broke the silence of the room. Renton turned around, but only saw four empty tables.

"Who's there?" He asked his eyes darted about the room, searching for some form of life.

"I'm here of course, who else would be?" The being whispered in annoyance. Renton looked back down to see Eureka's body was gone.

"Eureka?" He yelled and fell to the ground, searching for some trace to where she could have gone.

"Eureka? The girl that you so love? Ahhh, what a lovely couple you make." The voice spoke again, its voice seething with the darkness that was starting to gather around him.

"Who are you?" Renton yelled and stood up, but still only found the empty room.

"A little sign of anger… that's good… I'll have to note that for future experiences. But if you must know, I'm a remnant of the past that was forgotten. Or rather, was never known. A part of the past that was suppressed by a pathetic force. But since that force is gone, I can save the falling pieces it left behind." Renton listened in complete confusion, having no comprehension of what was going on.

"Please… please stop." He fell to his knee's and begged. "Just bring Eureka back." He searched around desperately, looking for Eureka where ever she could be. And the cold breath of some one filled his ears. It made every muscle in his body freeze. But he didn't stop searching. He knew that with Eureka, he could face this. So he continued to search in the hopeless situation.

---

"Where is he…" Eureka begged to nothing. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. She found herself sitting in a room filled with millions and millions of boxes.

"He's here of course." A cold voice replied to her. Eureka looked up, searching the room with her eyes, but no sign of life was found.

"Who are you?" She asked carefully.

"I've already answered this question… I don't have the desire to answer it again. Maybe I can simplify it into an easier sentence of understanding… Well, I'm that which was gone, and has now returned." Eureka felt herself freeze, the very voice catching her fears.

"Dewey?" She asked, not wanting to know the answer. The voice suddenly became silent.

"That man was a fool, and I am no longer bound by his idiotic actions. He tricked many, including myself, into believing he was something he wasn't." The voice was harsh, but it didn't yell, but instead seemed to shiver the cold air with its writing touch. Eureka's breath became heavier as she felt the fear inside her build.

"Please, just bring back Renton." She whispered in desperate hopes.

"I already told you… he's here." The voice was strangely calm this time, too calm for Eureka's nerves. She looked about the boxes, checking their sizes for viable life.

"No… he's not here… I have to find him, he won't be taken away!" She ran forward violently reaching out for something, anything. But then she felt a warm hand against her face. It filled her entire body with a warmth she couldn't explain. Gently she reached up and took the hand. Everything around her disappeared… Carefully she opened her eyes to see Renton looking at her. His soft eyes were staring right back into hers.

"They're awake!" Holland's voice suddenly broke silence. Both Renton and Eureka looked up to see Holland staring back down at them.

"Holland?" Renton frowned in confusion, and shifted his gaze to see Mischa was looking down at them as well.

"Good… you guys had me worried for a second." Holland smiled and leaned back, a breath of relief fell form his lips.

"What happened?" Eureka asked, looking at all three of them. But she stopped and kept her gaze on Renton. She couldn't believe how good it felt to be with him.

"It was real right?" Renton stared back at her. She quickly nodded, confirming his worries.

"So that really did happen." Holland muttered, and shifted his gaze downwards. Renton turned his head slowly to look up at him.

"That really was you I was talking to?" Holland nodded and leaned against his chair.

"Trust me. That was the first time I've lived that dream that way. I knew something wasn't right." Holland seemed as if he were about to laugh, but he turned in his chair towards Mischa. "So what do the computers say?"

"Well, from when I put them on, their brains were giving off hardly any activity. The most being emitted was the normal actions to keep the body alive. Such as keeping the heart beating, or keeping your lungs breathing. But, suddenly both of their brains spiked with incredible activity. Different parts were lighting up, and I found it a little hard to keep up. But then it all settled down, as if they were normally awake and… that's when you two awoke." Mischa finished and looked in between the two. Renton looked over at Eureka, who was looking back at him. Both knew exactly what happened. But both feared what had happened. Holland noticed the strange look they were sharing with each other.

"What happened?" He asked, a curious look crossing his face.. Both Renton and Eureka shifted their gaze to him.

"It didn't make any sense." Renton started, and began to recollect the whole thing. Once Renton finished, Eureka explained what had happened to her.

Finally they both stopped to let the story sink in. Holland and Mischa looked at each other, and then back at Renton and Eureka.

"That is strange… I'd like to study into this further." Mischa nodded and turned back to her computer, beginning to type something.

"Holland." Renton spoke suddenly. Holland turned to him, wondering what he wanted. "Where exactly was that place… in your dream?" He asked him curiously, the question had been bugging him for a while now. Holland sighed and stood up, taking a few good stretches.

"Ciudades Del Cielo" Was all he replied and shared a strange smile. Both Eureka and Renton looked up in surprise. He suddenly wished he hadn't asked the question. "Don't worry Renton, things change." Renton tilted his head and saw the smile on Holland's face. They shared eye contact for a while longer, but Holland broke away and shifted his attention to Mischa. "Mischa, keep the computers monitoring them. It's still late at night, only being one in the morning." Renton looked up at a clock, seeing the time for himself. And to his surprise, it really was one o'clock in the morning. But at the moment, both he and Eureka didn't really desire sleep. Or rather, they both feared the thought. Mischa seemed to notice this, because she grinned and rolled her chair forward.

"Don't worry, I'll keep the computers monitoring you. I've set them up to go off when something strange happens." They both nodded, yet still seemed unsure.

"Well, in the mean time, I'm going back to sleep." He gave off a short wave and left the room. Renton could tell from the look on his face that he was just as concerned about what had happened.

"I'll stay up for a little while longer, and do a little more study on these statistics. So don't worry, you can fall asleep." She grinned at the two and turned back to her computer. Renton sighed and rested his head in the direction of Eureka. She was staring right back at him, but he saw something in her eyes. She was worried, and looked at Renton as if searching for an answer. But he had none, and she knew it as well.

"I think we can fall asleep this time." He smiled and reached out, taking her hands with his. She smile of relief crossed her own face. But she still didn't close her eyes, and neither did Renton. They didn't want to think about what would happen if they opened them again.

---

Renton rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking around the room. A sharp pain shot on his forehead, and he reached up, rubbing it softly.

"Five days ago and the cut still hurts." He grumbled and yawned. Tiredly he shifted his attention over to Eureka who was lying in her bed. In her arms was Maeter, and they were both sleeping peacefully. His stomach built up with joy. Even though it was five days ago since the strange dream, and the whole accident. They were able to live them out in complete relaxation. Though the first few nights were uncomfortable, as long as he had Eureka at his side, he was alright.

The door suddenly slid open, and Stoner stepped inside still wearing his green jacket.

"Hey-" He stopped when his eyes landed on Eureka holding Maeter. His eyes lit up, as if staring down into a treasure of gold. "This is the perfect picture… they're both so peaceful… so… cute." Out of what seemed like no where, he whipped out his camera and took several different pictures from multiple angles. He then stopped and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Turning around he looked at Renton, his smile faded and was replaced with confusion. "I came here to tell you something… but now I can't remember what." He paused and took another random picture of him. "Oh yeah, that's right, Mischa wanted to see you and Eureka." With that Stoner left the room, smiling in his own satisfaction. Renton rolled his eyes and carefully walked over to Eureka. Gently he reached down and rubbed her shoulder softly. Her eyes drifted open, looking up at Renton as they did so. A smile softly grew on her face.

"Hey." She whispered up to him.

"Mischa wants us in the infirmary." He replied, sharing his own gentle smile. She nodded and crawled off the bed, being careful not to wake Maeter.

"Did she say for what?" She asked as they slipped out the door and into the hall. He shook his head.

"No, but I think I might now." Eureka nodded wearily, thinking the same thing.

They made it down the hall and into the infirmary. As they walked through the door, they saw Eureka looking at her computer

"Mischa." Renton said, expressing that they were there. Mischa paused for a few more seconds, and then turned to them.

"Renton, Eureka, I've been studying all the data from the night five days ago. To tell you the truth, I have no idea what happened. It's a strange phenomenon that has absolutely no explanation. I have a few theories, but even then they'll probably get me no where… That's really all I can say." She shared a weak grin and looked in between the two.

"Absolutely nothing…" Eureka muttered, looking down at the cold floor. Mischa sighed and shook her head.

"I interviewed every one that you saw in your dream, and they all surprisingly have vivid recollections of those same dreams. But… they also don't remember you guys being there. It's just… unexplainable." She finished.

"So there's nothing we can do?" Renton looked up hopefully.

"Nothing…" She responded. Renton nodded and turned around, as well as Eureka. Mischa watched them leave the room, a look of guilt starting to cross her face. "Absolutely nothing." She whispered under her breath, and turned back to her computer.

A solemn aura seemed to settle around Eureka and Renton.

"It felt so real." Eureka whispered barely loud enough for Renton to hear. He turned his head to her, watching hopelessly.

"Mischa will find something out." He attempted to convince her, but her nod in reply didn't look reassuring. He felt useless at that point, only walking with out speaking a word. "How's your side?" The question popped out of his head. Eureka turned her head in confusion, finding the question a little odd. But she reached down to her side and rubbed it softly.

"It never really hurt, but then sometimes, it really hurt. That's passed, and I'm able to sleep on my side and stomach a little easier."

"I'm glad." Renton responded, a cheery smile appeared on his face. Eureka frowned and looked up at him, but then saw what he was attempting. She smiled, a wave of relaxation washing over her. She had forgotten that Renton was there for her. Slowly she reached out and took his hand. He clasped hers just as she clasped his. Renton suddenly perked up. "Want to make breakfast for the kids." The idea hit his head, he could already see the kids jumping up and down.

"Yes!" Eureka responded in her own excitement. They started towards the lounge, still holding hands, and holding each others strengths… together.

---

"How is that possible?" Hap muttered in the command room of the Gekko-Go. Holland looked up with a bored expression, as if he needed some excitement.

"What is it?" Holland asked with a slightly raised brow.

"The Inverse Drive…" Hap replied, his voice becoming darkly serious. Holland's mood had instantly changed from the name. Jumping from his seat, he quickly walked over to Haps station.

"What's the news?" Holland asked with the same tone.

"This came in from one of the P.O.F.s spies. Apparently he stumbled across one of the U.F.s secreted science facilities. This one… just by luck, contains the work on the Inverse Drive development lab. But that's not all, apparently they're developing a new type." Hap started to grit his teeth.

"What do you mean a new type?" Holland seemed utterly confused, though he wasn't sure he wanted the coming answer.

"They're calling them S.U.s, or Slave Units. They're not like KLFs, they're a whole new design. These things are especially made for the use of the Inverse Drive. He wasn't able to gather more information then that. But… there are some pictures here." Hap tapped a few buttons, and a few blurry pictures popped up. Although the shapes of the S.U.s were dim and faded, their shapes were fierce and fast.

"Dang it… Do we have a location on the facility?" Holland asked, standing strait and starting to walk back to his chair.

"Yes… why?" Hap asked in slight confusion.

"We have to stop the production of those things…" Holland responded simply, and then hopped back into his station.


	12. Chapter 12: A Fractured Moon

**Chapter 12: A Fractured Moon.**

Konner sat in the mostly empty cafeteria. A few occupants sat at the far side of the large room, chatting quietly amongst themselves.

"Hey!" A voice suddenly sounded behind him. He turned around to see Klera walking towards him. A sigh of complete relief found its way out of his lungs, having barely escaping the grasps of boredom.

"Hey Klera, what are you doing here?" He asked and leaned back in his seat while she sat down on the opposite side.

"I was looking around for you, right now is my lunch hour. We're taking a break from some of our projects." Konner nodded and looked down at his untouched food. Klera couldn't help but notice. "How are you doing Kon?" She asked and looked him directly in the eyes.

"I'm doing just fine… My muscles don't hurt as much as they did. And every now and then I just feel like taking a good long nap." He finished and yawned "I just wish there was something to do…"

"Well actually…" Her face had suddenly turned red, causing Konner tilted his head curiously.

"What?" He asked, finding her expression slightly amusing.

"Since we're both doing nothing, and tomorrow is the day you're back on duty. I thought you could teach me… to ride a board." She blushed intensely and tried her hardest to keep from losing control of her voice.

"You mean." He looked up in shock, not believing what she had said. "You've never reffed before?" She nodded shyly. Konner jumped up with a sudden burst of excitement. "That's great! All these years, and I never new!" He ran over to her side and helped her to her feet. "Come on, I can teach you everything you need to know." He almost yelled as she was pulled along by his hand. She couldn't help but laugh as his excitement drained into hers.

---

"You're not done until you fix it…" Axel growled down at the defenseless Renton. Renton sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes.

"It would help if I knew what it was." He grumbled back at his old man.

"A real Mechanic doesn't need to know what he's fixing. He only allows his mind to open up to new ideas, and to explore the hidden concepts of a machine." Renton rolled his eyes once again. He examined the device closely, but still couldn't figure out what it was. The device was a cylinder that had dips coming out and in occasionally. Every time he shook it, it would give off a small clinking sound. Slowly as he examined the device, his mind drifted to other thoughts. He started to wonder how Eureka and the kids were doing, or at least what they were doing. As his thoughts were wandering, something caught his eye. At first he frowned, and then looked closer. A sudden smirk traveled across his face. He sat up and his hands began working with the device. Only a few minutes pasted when he suddenly jumped up and tossed the device to his grandfather. The old man caught it in surprise.

"Done." He smirked and put his hands on his hips. Axel looked it over carefully, and then nodded in satisfaction.

"This is excellent work Renton, I'm very impressed. Now you can mov-" He looked up to see Renton had run off. "That little…" He clenched his fist and turned around.

---

"Mama, when do we get to leave to the city?" Maeter ask in a whiny voice as she leaned against Eureka. They were all in the lounge, enjoying themselves with random activities. Linck was curiously folding some paper, trying to achieve a strange shape. While Maurice on the other hand was doodling on his own piece of paper.

"As soon as Renton is done." She gently smiled back down at her.

"Can we get some straw berries this time?" Maeter asked hopefully, a little sparkle in her eyes. Eureka nodded and took a quick look at Maurice's doodle. She couldn't help but draw her thoughts back to the strange incident she and Renton had a week before.

"Hey!" Every one looked up to see Renton walk in with his hands in his pockets.

"Barfy!" All the kids yelled and ran to give him a hug. He knelt down and accepted the hugs. Although they still used the name Barfy, Renton didn't mind. In his opinion, he rather preferred it. It almost felt like a strong connection that he had directly with the kids, and everything they had gone through. Eureka stood up and walked over next to them.

"Ready Renton?" She asked with a serene voice. Renton looked up to see Eureka looking right back down into his eyes. He stood up and nodded.

"We're taking the 606 right?" He said as they walked out the door and down towards the hanger.

"Yes, it should be able to fit all of us." The kids ran ahead as Renton and Eureka walked together.

"Are you going to be ok?" He asked her with concern. She turned her head and nodded, completely relaxed. Her hand reached out and took his.

"Yes, this time I will be." She stopped for a second and turned her head down at something. Renton followed her gaze to his left arm. "You sure you don't want me to drive?" She asked and looked back up with concerned eyes. Renton nodded, a confident smile spread over his face.

"I'm not worried, Mischa said that my arm should be able to handle this now. As long as we don't get into a fight." She nodded, but still seemed a little worried. It had only been two weeks since his arm had the infection. She couldn't stand to see him flinch every time he lifted an object that his arm wasn't capable of carrying. They reached the hanger and moved down the steps. The 606 was patched up again from the previous battle. When the Xellien had attacked it a week ago, it was almost unsalvageable. But thanks to Axel and Irik, they were able to put the whole thing back together.

Renton climbed in the front seat while the kids and Eureka climbed in the back. The cockpit itself was surprisingly roomy. Although, Renton couldn't help but wish they had the Nirvash back, so they could all be together. He reached out and hit a switch.

"This is Renton in the 606, we're heading out to go and re-supply certain items in our food storage." There was a long pause until a response came.

"Alright then, you guys are set to go. Just be back in an hour, because we're leaving this air space the minute you get back." Hap's voice replied through the comm..

"See you later." Renton reached out and turned the comm. off. "We ready?" He asked towards the back, in which he received a few nods. "Then let's go." He smiled slightly as the catapult doors opened. When the door had completely opened, the 606 shot forward with incredible speed. It soared out of the Gekko-Go and caught onto the thick green winds. It then dipped its board down and surfed back towards the city.

It didn't take long until they were landed in a parking lot, the whole city just laying in wait for their arrival. They all hopped out the 606 and quickly made their way towards the market.

"What's on the list?" Renton asked as they walked down the street. Eureka reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper.

"Not too much. We mostly just need to restock on milk and some fruits. Although, I don't think that will be easy." She pocketed the list and looked about the market in concentration.

"What do you mean?" He stopped to see where she was looking.

"Well, when the planet's shell had shattered, the prices of many foods shot up. Buildings, crops, animals that produced the food people needed were destroyed. Talho told me that the only way every one is making it through, is by moving to the fruits recently discovered bellow the shell." Renton nodded, never even had considered that possibility. But now that he thought about it, it had a dark logic behind it.

"Ok, then let's get it and go." He smiled and started off. This was one of there few times off the ships, and he wanted to make it last for all of them.

They all walked down the market, occasionally stopping at one of the shops to pick something up. As they went, they had gathered all their supplies except for one last item.

"Maybe they just don't have any here." Eureka suggested as they neared the end of the street.

"Wait, is that it?" Renton stopped and started in another direction. The others followed behind until they reached a small little set up. An older man sat there, he looked to be in his mid sixties.

"Can I help you?" He asked in a crackly and weary voice, but even then, it was still polite towards them. Renton looked about his items, seeing several canisters.

"Do you have any milk?" The older man tilted his head and nodded. Renton let out a sigh of relief, finally seeing that they had finished. "Perfect, we'll take four gallons. That should be good enough." He turned to Eureka who nodded in agreement. The older man picked up several canisters and placed them out to take. Renton fumbled to try and pick them up, but he was already carrying so much. Eureka let out a small laugh at his innocent clumsiness

"How much will it be?" Eureka asked and turned back to the man.

"One hundred." He replied gingerly.

"One hundred?" Renton reacted in surprise, almost dropping all the supplies. A stressed looked crossed over Eureka face.

"I'm sorry, but these times are hard." The older man looked as if he felt a little guilty, but even so, they all needed to be fed in the end. And Renton knew that the older man probably had some one he needed to support. Milk was hard to come by, and they were lucky if they could get any.

"Here." Eureka said as she handed the money to the man.

"Nice doing business with you." He bowed politely, but Renton couldn't help the sigh he was holding in his lungs.

It didn't take long for them to once again reach the 606. It was just as they had left it. Renton went to the back and shoved all the supplies into one of the compartments. Then they all hopped into the cockpit.

"Ok, if we got everything then shou-" Renton was interrupted when the comm. suddenly burst to life.

"606, come in, this is the Gekko-Go." Gidjets voice sounded over the comm.. Renton frowned and opened the connection.

"606 here, what's up?" He asked, recognizing a strange urgency in her voice.

"We're leaving right now, immediately return the Gekko-Go, understand?" Renton hesitated, still confused on why she was so pressing.

"Understood, we're heading back right now." The comm. shut off right as he said so. He turned back to see Eureka, but she only titled her head in the same lack of understanding. Renton turned back to grip the controls. He then moved the 606 forward and into the air. They flew all the way back to the 606, which already had its catapult open for them. With out waiting for recognition, they landed the 606 inside.

"606 returned, wha-" Renton was speaking in the comm.. But just moments after they landed, the Gekko-Go shot forward on full thrust. "What the?" Renton yelled as the 606 shook. It wasn't until moments later that everything had randomly settled.

"You guys ok?" Holland's voice came through the comm. Renton rubbed his head, and quickly glanced back to see if Eureka and the others were ok. To his Relief, they were fine, just a little overwhelmed.

"Yeah we're fine, but what's going on?" He asked in slight frustration.

"I'm not going to hide it from you guys. We're one a mission to take down a military facility. You know that device that Irik was making?" The comm. went silent as it waited for an answer.

"Yes?" Renton was a little surprised at the question.

"Well, apparently they have finished designs for a new unit, something that can change the tides of this brewing war. We're not going to let this weapon be developed. Which leaves me an extremely important question to ask you." There was a long pause, one that left an uncomfortable silence. "I need you to ride the Xellien… can I trust you two?" He asked bluntly. Renton looked down, fearing the question himself. Neither he nor Eureka had gone near the Xellien since the incident. Slowly he turned his head back, looking at Eureka. She was looking right back at him with no answer. They held their gaze, searching for some sort of solution. Finally, Eureka nodded her head, a look of confidence growing on her face.

"Holland…" Renton started, but stopped for a second. The answer he would give could go either way for the future. "We'll do it." He barely let the words out, but he didn't look away from Eureka.

"Then you two better get ready, we've been preparing this for two days. Jurgens has rounded two other ships to the sector, and they'll be supporting us in the battle." He finished and waited for a confirmation.

"Alright, we'll get ready to launch." Renton forced the worry dwelling in his voice, and sustained a sound of importance. When the comm. shut off, they all climbed out of the 606.

"I want you guys to go back to the room." Eureka knelt down and told the kids in a gentle voice. They all looked up at her with worry.

"When will you and Renton be back?" Linck asked with his innocent face. He understood what was happening, and Eureka wished he didn't. "We'll be back soon." She responded with a warm smile, one that could hold no deception. Maeter and Linck smiled, and the doubt drained from their faces. They quickly turned around and started for the stairs. But Maurice didn't follow, he was still looking between Renton and Eureka. He seemed to know more then what he admitted.

"Don't worry Maurice, we'll be back." Renton gave a strong smile of confidence. When Maurice saw it, he couldn't help but smile in admiration. He nodded and followed the kids back up the stairs. The minute the kids had disappeared, both Renton and Eureka looked at each other. They could see the worry and concern in their eyes, a little lost in what the other should do. It didn't matter how hard they tried to hide it from each other.

"We can do this… right?" She asked as she walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. He took her in his own arms, letting their strengths drain into each other.

"If we're together…" He responded said back in calm voice.

"I don't want to loose myself again…" She pressed her face into his shoulder. Renton held her closer, trying to share every ounce of strength he had.

"No Eureka, I wont let it happen this time." Softly he pulled away and looked into her eyes. She stared right back into his and saw a brewing fire. Suddenly her body was filled with strength, the worry and fatigue fell away into nothing.

"Let's do it together." She smiled back and they both climbed into the Xellien.

---

"They probably noticed that we're here by now." Holland grumbled as he leaned back in his seat. Hap laughed and looked forward.

"Yeah, but there's nothing they can do about it now." Holland smirked at Hap's comment.

"The Gallian and Orak are on their way. Gallian reports that it will be approaching the base from the North east, while the Orak will come in from the North West." Gidjet announced from the communications stations.

"Good, then we'll approach from the south." Holland said, and Moondoggies nodded in reply. In the view port, a small building could be seen. It was just lying in the huddle of trees, innocent and inconspicuous.

"Unidentified Archtype is being picked up!" Gidjet anxiously announced as she looked closer at the screen.

"What do you mean?" Holland asked and frowned back at her.

"I don't know, they're approaching from the base and moving towards the Orak." Every one shifted their view to a ship moving closer to them. Suddenly, five white and black objects popped out of the forest bellow. They charged up at the Orak, swiftly curving up and above its wings. As they traveled across, flames spewed from the metallic shell bellow them.

"Those must be the S.U.s…" Holland gritted his teeth. "What exactly does the Inverse drive do to improve the units?" He asked, but didn't suspect any one to answer. Ten green trails, one by one, fell out of the Orak. They charged towards the five S.U.s, but had little success against their incredible speed and precision. "Ok, launch the Xellien." Holland commanded Gidjet.

"Got it!" She pressed a small button on the board. "Eureka and Renton, you're clear for launch."

---

"Got it!" Eureka replied back as she reached forward and gripped the controls. The catapult door opened and they slipped out, landing on the winds of trapar.

"Looks like there are five of them… what are they?" Renton wondered aloud as he gazed down at the radar.

"They're S.U.s, or I should say Slave Units. They're the new archtypes specifically designed to use the Inverse Drive. Nothing has really come in, so we're not sure how it works. But apparently it's doing something right… I want you two to be careful." Holland's voice went darkly serious at the end. Both Renton and Eureka looked at each other before looking back out at the battle.

"Don't worry Holland, we can do this." Renton replied in confidence, no trace of doubt crawled in the back of his words.

"Good, the Orak and the Gallian will hold off the S.U.s. I want you to charge in and destroy the base. Do what ever you need to make sure its left only as a pile of rubble on the ground."

"Got it." Eureka responded as she dipped the Xellien down towards the base.

---

"Woz, have you picked up any specifications on the S.U.s?" Holland asked from the front.

"It's hard to say, don't rush me. I could study this thing better if I had actual recorded designs, some kind of record, or at least the thing itself. But trying to pick up specifications through S.U.s computers is slightly more difficult. Give me a few more minutes…" He replied in building aggravation.

"Gidjet, how is the battle going on over at the Orak?" Holland asked and looked back sternly. As the motions of battle began to take hold, it was apparent that Hollands moods had changed. He was fierce with his words, but not harsh. Everything was considered and revised before initiated into their plan. And he knew that this would be different, that this could make the difference in the war. But if they failed, then the out come would be unimaginable.

"The Orak has taken severe damage, and they've lost eight KLFs." Gidjet replied and a look of utter shock rushed across her face.

"Eight?" Holland almost chocked on his own breath. "The battle hasn't even been going for more then three minutes…" He shifted his view back to the view port. The Orak had released several KLFs now, but they did nothing. The whole battle was starting to lean in a bad direction. Holland shook his head, trying to remove the negative thoughts. "Alright, prepare to give the Xellien cover fire."

---

The Xellien shot down towards the base, ready to puncture the buildings roof. As they reached it, something slammed hard against their side. They flew down, landing a far ways off from the building. Both Eureka and Renton yelled as they tumbled through the air and slammed against the ground.

"What was that?" Eureka asked in quick shaky breaths. Renton looked down at the radar.

"I think its one of those S.U.s." He replied, looking around desperately with cautious eyes. He reached across and flipped a switch. Both arms extended their sharp blades, exposing themselves for the readied battle. Every inch in Renton's body seemed to shake with energy. He could almost feel the adrenalin rushing through his veins. Quickly he glanced at Eureka to see she was just as energetic. Her hands were shaking as she gripped the controls. Gently he put his hand on top of hers, holding it in place. At that moment, her hands immediately stopped trembling, and her breath became calmer.

The Xellien stood up and looked about. When it did a full 180, it faced a large object moving at them quickly. Its speeds were swift and incredibly smooth. Eureka's hands pulled at the controls desperately. The Xellien jumped into the air, and the S.U. crashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater in its place.

"It's suicidal." Renton spoke in disbelief. Who ever was inside would surely be dead, but no, the machine stood up and faced them once more.

"Still… alive" Eureka looked down in utter confusion. The S.U. didn't even have a scratch on it.

"That can't be possible." Renton was still shaking his head, not wanting to believe what he just saw. The S.U. jumped forward, starting another attack towards the Xellien. Eureka barely dodged out the way and gripped the S.U.s leg. The momentum that the S.U. had already built up threw the Xellien forward along with its tight grip. Eureka struggled with the controls to keep the hold, but it slipped from under the hand, and then fell back down towards the earth. The S.U. turned around in mid air, about to land on top of them, but two large red blurs slammed into either side. Two P.O.F.s fought to hold the S.U. down, but they had little success in doing so.

"We got to help them." Eureka barely shoved the words through her heavy breaths. The Xellien leaped forward and pulled out a small blade, ready to pierce the shell of the enslaved enemy.

---

"I can't get anything on it!" Woz yelled as the chaos started to pick up. "There's too much interference from something I've never seen before."

"What?" Holland asked, only turning around for a brief second.

"I don't kno-"

"Its most likely the signals being sent over the trapar waves." Irik interrupted from the balcony. Holland twisted his head in mild surprise.

"What do you mean, what signals?" He asked shortly.

"The inverse drive can only receive a signal through the trapar, but that isn't my concern. Look at the S.U.s, they're moving at in human speeds. Who ever is inside those things should be knocked out from the immense pressure, but that's not how the trapar works. The signals affect the brain in obscure ways. For one, the rider couldn't even tell he was being effected, but he will no longer feel pain. Secondly, the rider is left in a subconscious state, completely immune to things happening around them. And thirdly, the brain is sent into over drive, or in other words, it'll be hard to knock them out. The riders inside the S.U.s are dangerous under the use of the Inverse Drive. But they also have little will of their own. And what ever damage they cause to themselves, they're going to feel ten fold once they remove themselves from the effect of the device." Irik finished, not even blinking as he spoke.

"And you waited to tell us now?" Holland let out an exasperated sigh.

"The time seemed right." Irik responded in a tone as if he didn't care. Holland rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. He knew Irik initiated the development of the device, and that he would have the most knowledge. But he couldn't stop wondering who in the U.F. would know how to complete the device. All these thoughts stirred in his mind, but one nagged at his conscience. "And there's nothing we can do…" He gritted his teeth as he watched the battle field.

---

"Eureka, there are two now, and they're coming from the back!" Renton yelled as he looked over the controls, trying to keep his hands on everything that was happening. Eureka nodded and roughly pulled back on the controls. The Xellien did a back flip, barely missing the two incoming S.U.s. To their luck, the two S.U.s slammed into a group of trees. Splinters shot out as the trees snapped in half from the impact.

"They're open…" Eureka whispered under her breath, and she charged the Xellien forward. She pulled out the blade and aimed it towards the desired target. And for a split second, it seemed as if they were now winning. But the feeling instantly faded as the S.U. twisted out the way, missing the blade all together. The second S.U. leaped up and landed on them, pinning them down to the ground.

"Dang it!" Renton clenched his teeth as he searched for a solution. Down on the radar he could see the second S.U. coming in quick, most likely to end the battle. His eyes scanned the statistics a few moments longer, until an idea suddenly struck his mind. "Eureka, do you think we can flip over?" He quickly turned to her in hope.

"Yes." She responded, wondering what he had in mind.

"Ok, when I say. Turn us over and stab the coming S.U." Eureka nodded and gripped the controls once more. The screeching metal between the S.U. and Xellien rang in Renton's ears as he studied every inch of the radar. Numbers were increasing rapidly, causing his mouth to twitch at the urge to signal. But he stopped himself, and waited until the perfect moment…

"NOW!" Renton yelled and Eureka reacted immediately. The Xellien pushed with all the strengths its limbs would offer. Both the S.U. and Xellien tumbled, but not before Eureka pulled out the blade and aimed it. As Renton had assumed, the S.U. did the rest of the work for them. Because of its deathly speed, the S.U. rushed right into the blade, piercing its own chest. The action caused the S.U. to fall to the side, barely missing the Xellien. Eureka controlled the Xellien to leap off and land once again on its feet. With out loosing momentum, she pinned the next S.U., and quickly shoved the blade into its chest. The S.U. turned lifeless and the soft glow faded from its eyes.

A sudden calm rushed through the cockpit and surroundings. Silence filled every space around them, except for Eureka's erratic breath. Renton twisted his head to see her eyes wide open, looking out the cockpit. He had never seen such a fear in her face before. She was shaking slightly, and couldn't keep a good grip on the controls. Gently he reached out and took her hand. She slowly turned her head to him, absolute terror swelling in her eyes. Finally in what seemed like desperation she fell into his arms, clinging to him with everything she had. He pulled her close, completely submerging her in his own arms. Her muffled cries came through his chest.

"I'm sorry Renton…" She cried as she held him tighter. Renton immediately shook his head.

"No, I don't think we've been in a situation like this before." He shifted his eyes towards the outside of the Xellien, where the blade still laid imbedded into the S.U.'s chest. "We didn't have a choice. We had to act then and now." Eureka slowly nodded at his words of confidence, but both knew what they had done.

"We have to move on." She said as she lifted her head and wiped her tear stained cheeks. Renton looked into her eyes, and felt a heavy burden fall on his chest. Not a single ounce of energy could be seen, she was completely lost in her sadness. And yet she still tried so hard to hold herself up, no just for him, but for everything else. He wanted to do something, anything to give her the strength she needed. So he reached her back around her and pulled her close. He then softly kissed her, letting a few moments pass by. After a time had gone, they softly pulled away from each other. Her eyes now seemed to be filled with new confidence.

"Thank you Renton." She smiled warmly, leaving a new energy in his body. They both turned back towards the controls, ready once again for the tasks that lay before them. But now the stress was lifted. They held each other's burdens, when they knew they couldn't do it alone.

"We're doing the right thing." He said as the Xellien jumped into the air. But the second they broke the trees, they were revealed to a horrific site. The Orak was in flames, as if ready to fall apart into a crumbling mass of mashed metal. Not a single S.U. had been taken down, and the P.O.F.s were throwing everything they had at them.

"Eureka… I'm picking up a single S.U. near the main base. There are several KLFs surrounding it, but they don't seem to be putting up much of a fight.

"Understood." She responded with a serious tone. The Xellien turned its board back towards the science facility. A smaller swarm of KLFs entered their vision. "If we move in right now, I think we can get the S.U. by surprise." Renton nodded in agreement. Eureka controlled the Xellien to fly down with its blades at the ready. They shot through the air, and came within striking distance of the S.U.. But just as they did so, the S.U. turned around and swerved out of the way. Renton grumbled in annoyance as it did so.

"They react so fast…" He muttered in frustration and looked down at the statistics. Quickly he jolted his head to the right. "Eureka, in coming KLF from the west!" He yelled and pointed to the right. Eureka reacted instantly, gripping the controls and pulling back. Just as they were about to dodge out the way, the KLF slammed into them. A massive bang pierced their defenseless ears as they tumbled towards the ground. Both the KLF and the Xellien crashed into the earth. Eureka and Renton were pushed out of their seats and hit the side of the cockpit, loosing their grip on reality, and falling into a cold sleep.

Eureka opened her eyes, looking around carefully. She frowned as she realized that she had hit something soft. Shifting her weight, she turned to see that she was lying against Renton. His eyes were closed and his face was emotionless.

"Renton?" Eureka started in fear and softly shook him. His eyes lazily opened to see Eureka's face. A wave of relief passed over her body, and she smiled.

"What happened?" He muttered and tried to sit up, but gravity had other ideas.

"The KLF hit us, we're on the ground." She whispered back, and turned her head to get a better view on their surroundings. Renton nodded and leaned his head back. Everything around him was still spinning, but what bothered him most was the sharp pain pulsing on the side of his head. Gingerly he reached up and tapped the side to feel a warm liquid meshing in his hair. Slowly he took down his hand to see it partly soak in blood.

"A lot more then I thought." He muttered in disgust. Eureka turned to see what he was talking about, and instantly noticed his damp hair. A small trickle of blood began to slip down his cheek.

"Renton." She whispered softly, and shifted her weight to get a better look. Gently she reached up and put her hand against the wound. Her hand pressed harder, causing Renton to flinch slightly at the pain. His hand jolted up and landed on hers.

"What are you doing?" He grumbled in confusion. Eureka briefly looked at him and then started to look around the cockpit.

"I'm stopping the bleeding." She replied and patted her hand behind the seats. But finally she stopped and looked back at Renton in concern. "There's nothing to tie around your head. And I don't think the Xellien is equipped with an emergency medical kit." Her eyes shifted down in disappointment. He could see that she was truly worried, and started feeling guilty at his being disgruntled. Just as he was about to say something, Eureka's eyes brightened suddenly. "Renton, hold the wound." She indicated at the gash on his head. Although he was confused, he pressed his hand against the wound when Eureka moved her hand. She reached down and unzipped his jacket. Then carefully she slipped it off and tied it around his head. Renton struggled to keep from jerking away as she tied the knot tighter.

"How does it feel?" She asked and felt it softly. Renton looked up and let a sigh drift from his lips.

"I'm going to miss my jacket." He nodded at his own words. Eureka actually let out a laugh, which made Renton reacted in surprise. After all that happened, she actually let herself laugh. He couldn't help the smile that started to spread across his face as he watched. But just as her small laughs stopped, the realization of their mission fell once again on their exhausted minds. The moment felt to brief to be real.

"I'll try and reach the controls." Eureka said and attempted to grip them. Renton gave her a soft push, helping Eureka the rest of the way. The Xellien lifted to its feet, standing once again on the firm ground. They looked about the area, attempting to summarize their surroundings.

"Let's try helping the Ora-" Renton began and paused. His eyes were settled on something out of the cockpit. Eureka followed his gaze to the KLF that had crashed into them, and spotted a man trying to crawl out, but he seemed to be stuck.

The cockpit opened and Renton started to jump out. But before he could leave, an arm reached out and grabbed his.

"You should stay here, I'll go." She urged and stood up herself. Renton looked down at Eureka and then the struggling man.

"No Eureka, I can't pilot the Xellien in my condition, but I can help that man. If something were to happen, the one who should be inside the Xellien should be you." They both knew that leaving the Xellien was a bad idea. Left and right they could hear crashes and booms of battle. For a few seconds they just looked at each other. After another moment passed, Eureka finally nodded. Even though she didn't want to agree, she knew he was right. He smiled and started to step back.

"I'll be back, Eureka." He spoke with utter confidence, but Eureka felt none of it. She watched him climb down the Xellien and towards the man. He and the man conversed for a while, about what, Eureka couldn't tell. She strained her ears to listen, but their voices were drained out by other various noises. As she watched she put her arms in her lap and looked about the cockpit uncomfortably. With out Renton she felt unsafe inside, and she didn't dare touch the controls. Her trust for the Xellien had vanished.

Renton reached down and grabbed the man leg. As he pulled on it, the man's anguished cries shook the air. Eureka looked closer to see that his leg was somehow stuck in the KLF. With one final tug, the man's leg slipped out. It was badly scrapped up, and bent in an odd direction. Renton spoke a few more things and the man nodded back through his pain. He then turned back towards the Xellien and started back toward Eureka. But as he looked up, his eyes went wide in horror.

"Eureka!" He yelled and pointed behind her. She started to turn around when the Xellien's cockpit suddenly shut automatically. Her head turned towards the controls, not even having touched them. A large bang scratched at her ears and shoved her forward. The Xellien plummeted through the forest, knocking down any trees that attempted to stop it. With one last jolt, the Xellien came to an abrupt stop.

Eureka looked around the cockpit, trying to regain her control on everything. Her hands gripped the controls, and she moved the Xellien to stand up.

"Renton…" She whispered the words but knew no answer would touch her ears. Her eyes scanned the radar, absorbing any information it shared. Weakly she turned the Xellien around, spotting three S.U.s standing in front of her. "What… how?" She said in complete shock at the situation that was now laid before her. The first S.U. charged forward, slamming the Xellien into the ground. Just as it rolled off, the second S.U. lunged down, slamming a mighty fist at the Xellien's chest. Eureka screamed as the cockpit shook, giving away to the chaos. She felt her arms starting to loose control, the world around her fading into nothing. Her grip on the controls tightened, and she twisted to the right. The third S.U. missed and slammed against the ground. She shot the Xellien forward and controlled it to grab the S.U.. The S.U. gave no resistance to her actions. A blade slipped out the Xellien arm which was gripped tightly. It was quickly wielded and shoved into the stomach of the S.U.. The Xellien picked up its leg and pushed the S.U. to the ground, and with out mercy, pulled the blade across. Sparks flew out as the blade tore the S.U. in half.

The two other S.U.s stood there with out action. Eureka lost control of her breath as it sped up. Her eyes were swift and alert, not loosing sight of anything that happened. Her attention stopped on the last standing S.U.s.. The fiery building in her arms shoved the controls forward. Earth cracked beneath the Xellien's feet as it jumped and landed on the S.U.. The Xellien's hand cusped around the S.U.s head. It then squeezed with incredible fury. Metal snapped and bent under the Xellien's pressure, until the head itself was crushed. The Xellien gripped its blade and shoved it into the cockpit. Eureka stopped to gather her breaths as her eyes dwelled on the fallen S.U.. But not another second passed when she once again moved the Xellien to attack. The S.U. stood still, not even reacting, and she took advantage. She began to lift the blade, but stopped. Her whole body froze, no longer emitting the energy that was rushing through her body. Gently her hands pulled back on the controls. The Xellien stepped back and lifted into the air with out another movement to attack.

---

"Eureka… I got to help her." Renton mumbled without any grasp on reality. The wounded man could only watch and wonder. A few moments past with out any words being spoken. Wind blew past as three KLFs charged over head, turned, and landed down beside them. Two of the KLFs cockpits opened and two P.O.F. soldiers jumped out.

"Renton Thurston, and Walter Thern?" One of them called out as they ran forward. Renton didn't respond, but only continued to look down the path of shattered trees.

"Yes." The wounded man replied at last. The two P.O.F.s smiled in relief and lowered their guns.

"Good, let's take you two to the Gallian." One of them walked forward and helped the wounded to his feet. While the other looked at Renton in confusion.

"Renton Thurston, we must proceed to the Gallian before more U.F.s initiate a second attack." The man carefully urged him. Renton nodded and stood up, but even as he walked away, his eyes remained on the thrashed trees.

The two of them climbed into the KLF.

"How is the battle." Renton asked in a solemn voice. The soldier looked at him and then back down at the controls.

"Not to well, six U.F. ships are approaching this area." Renton's eyes suddenly shot wide open.

"Six?!" He muttered in disbelief, but the man only nodded.

"Yes, we have to retreat. We were sent out to gather the rest of the survivors. You guys are incredibly lucky we found you." The man almost laughed, but Renton found nothing amusing.

"What about the Xellien…" Renton demanded the answer. The man looked back and frowned, but shortly shrugged and turned back to the view port.

"Don't know, I assumed you would be able to tell me." The man replied all too casually.

"We have to return back down there." Renton pointed down at the forest.

"Are you kidding, when those U.F. ships get here, we're done. My orders are to pick up any survivors and immediately return them to the Gallian." He shook his head several times, completely rejecting the idea. But Renton didn't give up so easily.

"No, I think the Xellien is still down there and could use our help!" He begged through the anger wedging its ways through his throat.

"I can't." He responded back in complete seriousness.

"Please." Renton begged one last time.

"No… Not all of us are fortunate to escape the chaos of battle. So we need to take advantage of what we have, and do as we are told." Renton looked down in shock, not believing what he was hearing. No more words were spoken along the way to the Gallian. Renton continued to gaze out the view port, searching for that which he longed to see.

The three KLFs moved through the swarms of P.O.F.s. that seemed to be fighting nothing. Renton noticed that the S.U.s were gone, and there was no battle taking place. He frowned and carefully summed up the rest of the surroundings, yet he saw no conflict being fought.

"What?" Renton muttered in confusion. The pilot briefly glanced at Renton.

"What is it?" He asked and continued to concentrate on piloting the KLF.

"What happened to the S.U.s?" Renton replied as he continued to search their surroundings.

"Ran off for no apparent reason. I hate to admit it, but they were winning the battle. But just as the battle went on, they suddenly turned and high tailed it." Renton shifted his head down towards the floor, his eyes wide at the news.

"Then what happened?" Renton whispered too quietly to be heard.

The three KLFs turned into the Gallian, and easily landed in their desired spots.

"I don't know where to take you kid, but I'd suggest you shoul-"

"Jys, the captain wants to see Thurston." A man interrupted from bellow. The soldier looked down and cocked his head slightly. But he released a short shrug and jumped down from the KLF.

"Renton, I suggest you follow this man here." Renton hopped down after him and nodded at what he said.

"Thank you." Renton muttered and followed the other man.

They continued through several long halls, until they finally entered the bridge of the ship.

"Captain, I've brought Renton Thurston." The man announced before saluting. A tall older man stood up from his chair and stepped down in front of Renton.

"Captain of the Gallian, and I presume you're the pilot of the Xellien, along with that corallian girl." Renton nodded, impatiently waiting to see why the man had called him. Although he didn't feel the world around him, he felt the world within him. All his thoughts were on Eureka, and there was nothing he could do.

"Why did the Xellien fly off with the rest of the S.U.s?" The old man's words shoved into Renton's thoughts.

"What?" Renton asked in utter confusion. The captain looked down in slight surprise.

"You didn't know? We were hoping you could explain to us what happened." The older man watched Renton who didn't respond. Renton's eyes were wide open in shock, loosing any grip he had on the things around him. He knew what had happened, but he didn't know what to do. Eureka was gone, and he wasn't sure if he could get her back…

"Are you ok?" Renton shook his head as he felt an arm grasp his shoulder.

"We have to go after them." Renton slowly started, as he pondered the situation. The captain took his hand away and looked down at Renton inquiringly.

"That option isn't even going to be considered, we're returning to base." He spoke in a clear and stern voice. Renton shook his head weakly. his eyes darted around the room. There was nothing to do, but inside him he felt a burning desire.

"Please… they can't take her away." Renton looked up at the captain, his eyes pleading with everything he could summon. The captain looked down at Renton, almost as if in shock.

"You really…" Slowly the captain began to open his mouth, but the comm. beat him to it.

"This is Commander Holland of the Gekko-Go. Do you have Renton Thurston currently aboard your ship?" Holland's words were quick and short, as if rushing to meet something. At first the captain paused, looking between Renton, and then outside the view port.

"Yes, we have him." He responded after some time passed "But do not worry, we'll take him back to base."

"No, I want him aboard the Gekko-Go immediately!" Holland harshly responded at the captain. Renton looked up in surprise, not expecting such a strange reaction from Holland. A prolonged silence settled in the bridge. The captain looked between Renton and then back at the comm.. His vice captain stepped forward to say something, but the captain quickly raised his hand.

"Alright Holland, we'll send him over right away." The captain sighed and turned back to Renton. "I'm sorry about what happened Renton." As Renton looked back up at him, he could almost see pity in his eyes. It caught Renton off gaurd. "My name is Captain Polin, you'll see me again." The captain turned and signaled to his vice captain, who nodded and escorted Renton back to the hanger. As they moved down the halls, Renton couldn't help but ponder the strange look on Polin's face.

Renton hoped into the KLF and lazily gazed out the view port. The Pilot took him all the way to the Gekko-Go, where he was easily received and dropped off. He stepped down from the KLF and watched it fly away, back to the Gallian.

"Renton!" Holland's voice filled his ears. Renton turned around and looked at Holland with lifeless eyes. The stare stopped Holland in his tracks. A gaze was held between them for a long moment, until Holland stepped forward. Understanding was covering his face as he stood in front of Renton. "Don't give up yet Renton, we'll get her." He reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why did you react the way you did towards the captain of the Gallian?" Renton asked in a mellow voice. Holland sighed and started to scan the hanger with his tired eyes.

"We can't trust the P.O.F. any more Renton. There have been too many betrayals among the organization. The only people we can trust are ourselves." Renton nodded and shifted his gaze back to the ground.

"I don't know what to do Holland." Renton started in a weakly. "We thought we had it together… just us and the kids." Renton could already feel his voice cracking, and Holland could only watch and listen. "I just don't know what to do any more."

"You're going to have to move on Renton. You're not the only one who's worried." Renton looked up at what he said, and saw Holland looking to the back. Slowly he followed his gaze and saw Talho with the kids. It gripped Renton's realization, and a wave of guilt settled over his body.

"I got to be strong." Renton said and stood up, wiping his try eyes. Holland watched Renton start to walk forward towards the kids. A small smile formed on Holland's face, but it faded just as quickly as it came. Renton walked forward and knelt down in front of the kids. They stared at him for a few silent seconds, and then all three ran into his arms. Their bond was tight, and not yet to be broken. Gently Talho stepped next to Holland.

"What are we going to do?" Talho whispered next to him, and kept her eyes on the four.

"I don't know... Not this time." He replied in a mellow voice that seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"I just hope they hold strong. We'll have to help them Holland." Her brows pressed further together as she watched them, and felt a gathering of tender liquid forming in her eyes. Holland glanced at her, and reached an arm around her. She gratefully accepted the arm and leaned against him. For a long time, they just stood there. No words were spoken through the time that passed between the six. At the moment, only silence would settle in their surroundings. And at the moment, maybe silence was needed most.

---

"How is she?" A curious voice drifted across the bridge of a U.F. ship. A man with thinning black hair shifted in his chair. Several clips were attached to his collar, indicating a rank of high stature.

"Hard to say, she isn't reacting to anything we tell her. She just sits there… inside that thing." The man sighed in an old tired voice.

"At least it's working as we had perceived. Very well, what about him?" The captain raised a brow and looked over at the comm.

"Him?" He asked in confusion. There came a long dark silence from the comm.. One that made the man shift in his chair once again.

"I was afraid this would happen… I'm fairly disappointed that this would arise to the situation. But I won't allow anger to overthrow the main objective. Keep all contacts and trackings secure on the Gekko-Go. Initiate an appropriate plan when the time comes. But when that time comes, contact me." The voice finished in a smooth cold tone. Although the captain had never met the person, he could definitely tell they were female.

"Understood." He responded and nodded at the officer to disconnect the channel.


	13. Chapter 13: Loosing the Path

**Chapter 13: Loosing the Path**

"A month of searching, and we still haven't heard anything." Holland sighed tiredly as he sat down in a chair. Stoner, Hap, and Matthieu were there as well. All of them sat around a table with a large black screen surface. The screen projected a large map, and several red dots softly glowing across it.

"We've checked several U.F. facilities and command centers… But the P.O.F. keeps turning up with nothing." Hap responded in the same tone. Silence filled the room as they looked down at the radar table. Stoner tilted his head up and looked over at Holland.

"How are the kids and… Him holding up? Ever since a month ago, when she randomly ran off with the U.F…. Well, Renton just seemed to disappear. Except at dinner and other meals of the day." Stoner asked carefully and shifted his gaze back down towards the radar screen.

"The kids are doing a lot better then he is. Around the kids he acts normal, as if nothings wrong. But when he steps away, he totally locks himself in." Holland responded while scratching the back of his head.

"He's changed, I mean, me and doggie tried to invite him along for some reffing. But he wouldn't even open the door to his room." Matthieu said from the side. The whole area felt a little too dark to Holland. Everything was starting to go down hill ever since Eureka had disappeared.

"It doesn't help with the U.F. starting to launch attacks on random command centers. And now that they're using the S.U.s." Hap grumbled and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, at the moment, we need to re-supply on some of our food storage. Not only that, we might need a few more charged batteries. The 606's is starting to get finicky." Holland started, pushing away the grim feeling that was filling the room, and restoring a sense of importance. Every one else nodded and sat up in their seats. "Matthieu and Stoner, I want you two to go and re-supply the food items." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper. Both Stoner and Matthieu looked up in surprise, their eyes pressing with protest.

"Why not get Gidget, Talho, or Hilda to do it?" Matthieu asked in an irritatingly whiny voice. Holland raised his eye brows as if he didn't care, in which he didn't.

"Talho is tending to my child. Hilda and Gidget have gone out for the last three restocks, not including Renton and Eureka. You two on the other hand have done nothing." Holland sat up and responded dully. He then looked over at Hap. "Me and Hap will go and replace the batteries." Hap nodded and stood up himself. Both Stoner and Matthieu's heads fell down in defeat. "Oh and take Renton with you, that kid needs some fresh air." Holland grinned slightly before both him and Hap left the room.

Matthieu and Stoner grumpily walked down the hall and stopped in front of Renton and Eureka's room. Stoner lifted his fist and knocked the tip of his knuckle on the door.

"Renton! You in there?" He called through the door. At first no sound would come, but a muted shuffling noise could be heard. Matthieu and Stoner quickly looked at each other uncomfortably. The door slid open and Renton stood there, looking down at the ground. Both of them flinched back slightly, seeing how lifeless his face was.

"R-Renton, hey buddy, me and Stoner are heading out to the city. We're going to go restock on some of the supplies, and Holland wants you to come with us." Matthieu attempted to speak casually, but a few nervous chuckles found their way out of his chest. Renton nodded and stepped out lazily.

"Alright then, let's go." His response was too simple to match his features. He began walking down the hall gloomily. Every step he took seemed tired and lost. Stoner leaned over slightly to Matthieu.

"Geez, now the kids starting to make me depressed." Stoner mumbled into Matthieu's ears.

---

The Gekko-Go soared down and dove in for a steep landing. The wheels barely tapped the ground when they immediately took hold of the speeding road. Gently the Gekko-Go drew to a soft halt and turned into one of the many large hangers. The landing base was convenient and mostly plain. Several large buildings lined along the road with either open or closed doors.

---

Holland stood up from his command chair and walked over to Gidjet's comm. Station, and just as he thought, the comm. switched on to a receiving signal.

"Gekko-Go, eh? What brings you people around here?" A young male voice asked through the comm.. Holland smirked slightly and tilted his head back.

"We're just here for refuel and a restock in supplies. That wouldn't be to much, would it?" He asked and shifted his head back down to the comm..

"Sure, no problem, but its going to be a little expensive. You know with the war starting up… Heh, what am I saying? You would know that all to well." Holland grimaced slightly, not really feeling it was a subject he wanted to discuss.

"Right, Gidjet here will give you our specifications. In the mean time, we don't want any one entering the hanger besides Gekko-State Members." He nodded at Gidjet to take over for him. Hap stood up from his station and started for the door.

"Meet you at the hanger Holland." Hap said and waved before leaving the door. Holland shared one short nod and quickly ran over to his station. His eyes darted across the small computer screen until he was satisfied, and then started for the hanger himself.

---

Stoner sighed and placed his hands in his pockets as he walked down the catapult ramp. Matthieu walked along side him, while Renton slowly fell behind. The three walked across the large hanger and entered a small door. As they passed through, they were instantly led to the outside. Renton shielded his eyes at the sudden burst of light.

"Alright, looks like we don't have too much to find." Matthieu muttered and he glanced at the list with little care. A few moments passed, and they just stood there doing nothing.

"Well?" Stoner shifted his attention to the bewildered Matthieu.

"Hey, don't look at me! How am I supposed to know where to find these things…" He whined slightly and passed the list to Stoner. Stoner took the list and examined the items himself. After more time had passed, Stoner sighed and closed his eyes in defeat.'

"I have no idea, we're not usually called on these kind of things." Stoner indicated the list with a wave of his hand. Matthieu nodded in complete agreement, but still expressed the same look of defeat. When silence started to settle again, Renton stepped forward and snapped the list out of Stoner's hand. Both Matthieu and Stoner looked down at Renton as the he scanned the list in aggravation.

"This way." Renton muttered and started down a small trail between two large buildings.

"How do you know that's where the market is?" Matthieu curiously asked as Renton gained distance away from them

"Well, the city is this way, and market places are generally inside the city." Renton responded in slight annoyance.

"Oh… heh heh." Matthieu laughed innocently and ran to catch up with him. Stoner though, hadn't yet made a motion to walk. Instead, he was curiously looking at Renton's movements and actions.

"You're really letting this control you Renton… You got to realize what you're doing to yourself before it's too late." He whispered under his breath and ran to catch up.

Two hours had passed until Matthieu, Renton, and Stoner stood in the market place. For a change, Renton wasn't carrying any of the items. Rather it was Stoner and Matthieu who were stacked with the heavy supplies.

"Aye Renton, are we almost done?" Matthieu complained from behind his large stack of items.

"Yeah, my arms are killing me." Stoner grumbled as he shifted his hands.

"Just one or two more things." Renton replied and he turned away from the two. He faced a younger woman selling a group of various fruits. She smiled gently, but the smile was filled with little care. Renton frowned slightly, but quickly pushed away the strange feeling of emotion. He couldn't help but feel that she had lost something as well.

"Can I help you?" She called up in a mellow voice. Renton smiled and nodded down at the fruits.

"We could use four or these, and six of those." He pointed at the various foods. The woman nodded and began to bag the ones he had selected. After she had finished, Renton handed her the money and placed the bags in Matthieus already tired arms.

"Ok, one last thing and we're good." Renton said with little enthusiasm to being finished. Matthieu and Stoner sighed in their own great relief.

"Good, then we… can…" Matthieu faulted in his words as his knees started to buckle under the weight. He attempted to take a step forward, but it failed as he fell back into Stoner. All the supplies flew into the air and landed in scattered formations about the ground. The two lay on the ground and didn't attempt the move. Even though the dirt was hard and hot against their backs, the feeling of just lying down was satisfying enough. Renton turned around and rolled his eyes at the two. Then he slightly flinched and shook his head. He hadn't recognized the sudden feeling of agitation before. Though, now that it crossed his thoughts, a lot of things were different about him, things he didn't like. Little things got on his nerves and he no longer felt the energy to play with the kids. But even through his fatigued, he fought his heavy eye lids. Over the month he had very little nights where he got a full rest. Every time his eyes softly closed, the image of Eureka would pop into his mind. And even though it wasn't her, it felt so real to him. But what could he do, the fact was, there was nothing he could do. Every time an idea struck against his mind, it was quickly washed away at what little control of the situation he had. Even the thought of it made him tired and left him with the desire to keep moving. His eyes slowly drifted downwards towards the ground. At that moment, all he wanted was sleep. But his eyes caught the little white note in his hand, the one filled with the needed supplied items. The world seemed to flow back to life around the note. He was absorbed out of his thoughts, and back into the thick reality around him.

"Last item." He muttered in his hollow voice. Gently he lifted the paper and read the last item on the list. It was only one word, and even so, it made no sense to him. "Violets?" He muttered in his uttered confusion. Swiftly he glanced at Stoner and Matthieu to see they were still cleaning up.

"My back is killing me." Matthieu whimpered as he picked up a dirty bag of fruits.

"Hey guys, I'm going to grab the last item on the list." Renton called out and started to walk away.

He made his way through the market, finding it a little harder to get around as the crowds got thicker. Eventually he spotted a colorful display of strange shapes off to the corner of his eye. He turned towards them and broke through a group of people. The sudden exposure to color washed over his eyes. To his surprise, the display was covered in hundreds of different flowers. But at the moment, those weren't the ones he cared for. His eyes darted about the display, searching for that one flower he wanted. Finally his eyes settled on one single flower. Taking a few steps forward, he pulled the flower out from the gathering. The soft violet colors beamed against his eyes. Little crackling black lines curved along the peddles, making several circlets. And before he could stop it, he was instantly reminded of Eureka's eyes. His pleasant feelings faded, and he was suddenly filled with fear. The flower shook in his hand as images of Eureka flushed through his mind. But what he saw the most was her eyes. They were soft, gentle, and kind to him. Slowly his hand stopped shaking and the feeling of fear washed away. Carefully he raised the flower to his nose and took a deep whiff. A fruitful smell filled his nose and a sweet feeling fell down and touched his lung. He pulled the flower away and gazed down at its beautiful features. A feeling of absolute purification flowed through his body.

"I got to stop being afraid… Thank you Holland." He almost laughed, whether at his own stupidity, or the fact that he fell right into Holland's trap. But just as the feeling had come, it started to fade away. The flower's stem bent slightly under its own weight, and his hand lowered down to his side. A sigh started do fell from his lips, but stopped when a strange feeling wrapped itself around his stomach. A frown encased his face as he tried to comprehend the new sensation. It left his breathing stiff and his muscles tense with every movement. It was so sudden, but at the same time, so familiar. A feeling of warmth grew around the edges of his stomach, and his lips quivered as he attempted to speak. Gently he moved his hands to his sides and found that there were two arms wrapped around him.

"Eur…Eureka?" The name trembled against his teeth as he spoke. Both arms slipped out from around him, and in its place he felt the warmth drain. An icy feeling was left in the pits of his sides, but now that didn't matter. His desire and need to find out who the person was, controlled every action of his being. He turned around to around to see some one running away in a brown cloak. His legs instantly shot up and rushed him forward. The stranger was in his sites, and there was no way he was going to let them slip away. There was a small opening between two medium size buildings. The stranger turned in and Renton followed.

"Stop!" He begged and his voice echoed down the stretched pathway. They continued to run. The voices of the crowding market place were starting to fade away. All Renton could hear now was his heavy breath, and both their pounding feet. The figure broke out from between the buildings and out into a wider area. Renton couldn't loose them in the chase, so he picked up his feat and broke out into the open as well. The second he ran out, an overpowering burst of light covered his eyes. He stumbled and fell back in surprise. His vision was watered out, and all he could see in front of him was a fuzzy black mass. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes tenderly. When he looked back up, he saw that the mass had become smaller and fewer. With only another few blinks, everything focused into view. But the new vision instantly made him jerk backwards. Eleven U.F. soldiers stood around him in a semi-circle. Each one held their gun firmly, and stood at ready if action was need. He turned around in attempt to run, but four powerful arms gripped him and held him in place. The hope in running instantly diminished. Even though he was captured, he cursed himself for falling into such a foolish trap. Who ever he was chasing, was most likely just a decoy.

"Hello Renton, I'm glad we have the chance to meet again." An old, gruff voice spoke out to him. Renton raised his head to see the commander of the Gallian standing in front of him.

"Polin?" Renton muttered in overwhelming shock. The older man nodded grimly as he looked down at Renton.

"I'm sorry that you have to be left in such confusion. But I can offer you back something you lost." Polin smiled, but there was no mockery or cockiness behind it. Actually, what Renton saw, was the the smile was genuine, and understanding.

"What… what do you mean?" His breath was still heavy from the running, but images of the person he was chasing flashed through his head.

"I can't tell you now, but please wait Renton. I promise that you'll once again be reunited with what you have lost." Polin lifted his head and nodded towards the two soldiers. One nodded in confirmation and picked up his knee into Renton's stomach. For a second, a brief pressure of pain built in his belly. He could feel the very essence of burning and compressing his chest. His lungs desired air, but no air would come to his needs. Curtains of shadows started to drop before his eyes, piling over each other until it seemed as if it were night. His knees lost strength, and he fell to the ground. Even through the blackness he could see the solid floor advancing towards his face, and he had no strength to resist it. Tightly he closed his eyes and waited for the flash of pain… But it never came, instead he felt something catch him. It held tight to him, as if saving him from the terrible destruction. The feeling was all too familiar. He felt safe, protected, and no longer alone. There was no doubt that she was there for him… once again.

---

"Oy, where in the world do we set all this junk?" Matthieu muttered as he and Stoner entered the hanger.

"I suppose the food storage?" Stoner responded and grumbled when all of the supplies almost fell out of his hands.

"Right, then lets do it." At last a cheery tone tinged at Matthieu's voice.

The two made it down the halls and settled the food supplies inside the storage room. And once everything was situated, they both headed out and started for the lounge.

"Hey, did you guys get everything?" Holland's voice called from behind them. Matthieu turned around and spotted Holland and Haps staring at them. He nodded, seeming pleased with himself.

"MmmHmmm, we got everything!" He stood with his arms in his pockets. Holland looked between the two in mild confusion.

"Where is Renton?" Holland asked.

"He said he needed to get the one last supply, I thought he came back here." Matthieu responded casually, but a look of concern crossed over Holland's face. He turned and looked over at Hap, who nodded in silent agreement.

"We got a problem. Renton isn't back yet, and that last supply shouldn't be taking him so long. Woz said he was picking up some strange radio signals… possibly U.F." Hap said, and both Stoner and Matthieu titled their heads back in surprise.

"Matthieu, take the 606, and go with him, Stoner. Me and Hap will search by feet, be ready to receive our signal." Holland motioned to the radio in his hand. Matthieu's energetic nature vanished, and was replaced with a serious reflection to the situation.

"We're on it." He said and turned around with Stoner.

---

"I don't think you needed to kick him so hard…" A voice wisped into Renton's thoughts.

"Meh, he can handle it just fine. And if I did it any less, I don't think he'd be out right now." There was a short grunt of agreement.

"Though… I still find it a little creepy." The same voice came again, but in a whisper. Renton shifted his head, feeling something soft under it. "She just kind of sits there… not even saying a word." The man whispered again. Renton attempted to open his eyes, and was revealed to a strange site. He couldn't remember where he was, or how he got there. The ceiling was metallic, and everything was slightly shaking. There were seats on either side of the walls, each one having a strap to hold some one in. Four U.F. soldiers sat on the opposite wall, while only one sat on his side. He couldn't make out the figure above at first, being his vision was blurry. Blinking a few times, he refreshed his vision. His eyes focused, and he glanced up to see a figure looking back down at him. At first he wasn't sure he recognized the person, or rather he wasn't sure he could believe what he was seeing. Eureka was staring back down at him, sharing that warm smile only she could give. His head was in her lap as she softly stroked his hair. It was Eureka, nothing was fooling Renton's senses. Her eyes were shinning a glassy violet into his. But she wasn't wearing her blue and white dress. It was the same design, but this time it was black and white.

"Eureka?" He whispered in a quiet voice. She nodded and held a finger to her lips, motioning him to be silent. Just looking at her flushed away his worries and stress.

"Hey look, he's awake." The man called, and all the soldiers turned their attention to them.

"Maybe the silent one will finally speak." One chuckled from the side. Eureka's head instantly jerked up, her eyes settled into a fine glare at the others. The man flinched back slightly, seeing a darkness he'd had never witness before, dwelling in her eyes. Even Renton felt his head twist uncomfortably at the look. All the men looked away, as if nothing were to be seen. And once Eureka saw this, she tilted her head back down and smiled.

"Renton… are you alright?" She asked in a soft cool voice. A frown crossed his face, trying to comprehend how anything could be wrong, now that he was with her. But then he felt a hand on his stomach, a shock of pain rang at the touch. He struggled to lift his head, and saw Eureka's hand gently lying on the bruise. She lifted it when she noticed the twinge of pain in his face.

"Yes… I'm alright." He whispered back and leaned his head back down.

"Good." She closed her eyes in relief.

"What about you?" He asked and attempted to sit up, but Eureka pushed him back down.

"I'm fine… everything is fine." Her voice soothed his pulsing ears. But there was still something in his stomach, and he felt another question forming in his lungs.

"Where have you been?" A strange tone of concerned curiosity crawled into his voice, revealing how much he had missed her. She turned her head away, breaking the wonderful gaze she shared with him.

"I've been here." A look of guilt was submerging her face, and Renton couldn't figure out why.

"Here… in the city?" He asked, not understanding what she had meant. But something started to move in his thoughts. Old thoughts and memories were beginning to return again, and he suddenly feared the coming answer.

"No Renton…" She closed her eyes and gently shook her head. When she opened them again, her eyes were on him. "I've been with the U.F." Her words were drained of energy. Renton quickly fumbled with what he had just heard, and looked around the room in sudden anxiousness.

"You mean… you've been captured right?" Eureka shook her head again. "But you don't have a choice?" Once again, she shook her head. He opened his mouth, but she softly laid a finger on it, stopping his speech. Again she shook her head, and tear fell from her face.

"No… Renton, you don't understand. I'm here because I want to be here." Renton felt everything zone out after she said that. All he could hear was the words repeating in his head.

"Eurek… Eureka… please." He whispered up to her, and felt another drop of warm liquid touch his cheek.

"But it's alright Renton." He shook his head in her lap.

"No… Don't." His breath was starting to quicken, he wasn't sure who he was talking to any more.

"We can be together now… we can pilot the Xellien and save everyone." She smiled, but it was forced. Renton's eyes went wide in shock. He knew it was her, and it felt like her. It was her same smile, her same caring eyes, but what she had just said didn't sound like her.

"Eureka…" He spoke softly, closing his eyes tightly. His thoughts were scrambled, and all he wanted to do was remove them. The warm feeling that had once protected him, faded away. Tightly he closed his eyes, wishing everything would make sense, and his thoughts would settle. A small pressure built at his eyes, and he felt a wet liquid press through the cracks. Just as it all seemed to fade, he felt something touch his lips. His eyes shot open, and he found Eureka kissing him. Her tears were falling off her face and into his own. Slowly he closed his eyes, and let everything else be forgotten…

"What the… Dang it!" A voice yelled from the front. Eureka and Renton lifted their heads, and Renton noticed that they were in a vehicle. But just moments after this realization, everything broke into chaos. A loud explosion rocked the massive vehicle. Renton lifted out of his seat, but was briefly pressed back down as Eureka held on to him. He noticed that Eureka had some how managed to get her strap on. Even though he couldn't see what was happening, he knew that they were rocking hard. Everything tumbled on the inside. The lights flickered, and the U.F. soldiers were launched out of their seats. They smacked around against the insides of the Vehicle. He felt his legs doing the same thing, unable to withstand the force. But thanks to Eureka, he was held in place. With one last bang, it all stopped. Renton was still in his seat, and Eureka was still holding onto him with all her strength.

"Renton…" She whispered into his ear, she didn't even need to word the question.

"I'm alright… you?" He asked back as she lifted her head away from him.

"Yes." She smiled in relief, seeing that they had both made it through. She undid the straps and scooted out from under Renton's head.

"Are they all dead?" Renton sat up, the pain not as strong as it was. Eureka looked around at the limp bodies, and then nodded grimly. He stood up, and fell as a pain shot through his stomach. Eureka rushed forward and caught his fall.

"Careful, maybe I should check things out before we get out. We don't know who we're dealing with." Renton nodded and rubbed his tender stomach. Eureka walked down the small room, and Renton noticed she was walking towards a door. She was about to reach out and open it, but the latch suddenly took on a life of its own. The latches twisted aside, and the door slid open. A man jumped through, quickly holding a gun to Eureka's stomach. But only a second later, he fell back in utter surprise.

"Eureka?" Holland called as he almost fell out the door, but caught himself. Eureka seemed just as surprised, and she quickly reached down, grabbing one of the U.F.'s guns. She then held it up towards Holland.

"Don't move Holland… I don't want to have to kill you." Holland's eyes went wide in shock.

"What?" Holland almost laughed at what she had just said, not even considering her to be serious.

"Eureka, what are you doing?!" Renton almost yelled as he looked between her and gun. She quickly glanced at Renton, but then shifted her gaze back to Holland.

"I don't suspect you to understand Renton, I would have been just as confused. But now I understand everything, and I'll show you everything I've learned. I'll uncover that darkness shielding your eyes that had once shielded mine."

"Eureka?" Holland muttered, completely bewildered at what was happening.

"Renton, take my arm." She said, and held her arm down for him to take. He looked at the arm unsurely, then at Holland, and back to Eureka. Slowly he reached up and took her out stretched hand. Carefully she pulled him up and let apart of herself be his crutch. "Holland, get out of the vehicle." She motioned the gun towards the door. Holland complied, and stumbled out the door, though he still seemed utterly confused. She then helped Renton out after him, and they both stepped out into the warm sun.

"What the?" Hap's voice called this time, and Eureka twisted her gun up at him.

"I don't know… something is not right." Holland's voice was distant, and his stare was dazed, as if lost in thought.

"Eureka, put down the gun." Hap motioned gently and caringly. But Eureka didn't even blink to his command. She only held her weapon and slowly carried Renton backwards.

"I can't, Renton needs to see the truth. I finally see it myself, the one that you've been hiding all these years." She spoke in a cold and fierce voice.

"Truth?...Truth?" Holland muttered, but then his voice became stronger.

"She showed me everything, and I'm sure she'll reveal everything to Renton as well." Both Holland and Hap looked at each other, loosing all comprehension they had on what was going on.

"Eureka." Renton said and reached a hand out while putting it on top of the gun. "Something is not right… can't you feel it?" His gaze was solid, and Eureka hesitantly turned to look into his eyes. But once their gazes met, he could feel the grip on the gun lessen. At that moment, he though he could feel and look inside of her. She seemed lost in something, but Renton couldn't tell what.

"Renton… please let me show you what I saw." She called in a weak voice, begging him with all she had. He wanted to believe her, to just follow her so that her pains would be softened. But a lie was lurking about everything, and he didn't want both of them to be caught in the trap.

"Eureka..." His voice called into her thoughts, calming the very essence around her. The arm around him seemed less tense, and her eyes slacked as they turned soft against his.

"But… I'm so sure." She searched his face, seeking an answer to a new born question. She opened her mouth to say something, but it was quickly muted out by several loud explosions. One emitted right next to them, throwing both Renton and Eureka apart. They called out the others name, but neither heard the sweet sound. More explosions burst around them, leaving everything in chaos. Where the incoming fire was coming from, no one could tell. But Renton considered one possibility, and that was the U.F.. His thoughts were interrupted as he slammed against the ground.

"Hap, are you ok?" Holland yelled through another explosion. There came no response, until an irritated grunt came from the spoke.

"Yeah, what was that all about?" His voice swerved in tones, irritated and confused at the same time.

"I don't know, but apparently they've stopped." Both Holland and Hap stopped to listen for more shots, but everything was seemingly quiet.

"Renton, how about you?" Hap asked as he ran over to help him up. Renton graciously accepted the help and took his outstretched hand.

"Where's Eureka?" He asked, ignoring Hap's question completely.

"You're right, look over there." Hap pointed in the direction where the explosion that separated had occurred. Renton desperately turned his attention in that direction, but even as he did so, he was only revealed to a site of horror, and relief. Eureka was alright, but she was being carried off by the U.F..

"We got to stop them." He started in a sudden outburst of urgency. But a hand gripped his arm tightly, holding him in place.

"No Renton, we're out numbered and they want you. We have to run…" Holland's voice was solemn as he spoke. Renton knew he spoke the truth, and in all the time he had spent with Holland, he knew what he had to follow his order. So, he started to follow as the three of them ran. But every glance at Eureka tired and stressed face held him back, as if two arms had literally reached out and stopped him, but there was no time to wander. Just before they turned behind a pair of building, he saw Eureka's eyes open, looking directly at him. They only held eye contact for a brief moment, until the buildings blocked their vision.

"I've told Gidjet to contact the Izumo. Hopefully they're already on their way. I just want to know how the U.F. knew we were here? We spent an entire month trying to disappear… So how did they know we were going to land here?" Holland asked in irritation.

"All I can think of is an inside spy… But there's no one in our crew who'd pull a trick like that." Hap responded, his breath getting heavier as they ran.

"I agree… so then what could it be?" The question drifted in the air, and no one answered. Just as they turned around another building, a massive orange object flew in front of them. Renton quickly covered his eyes as a massive wind blew across.

"Hurry, get in the hands!" Matthieu called out from the 606. They all ran forward and jumped into the 606's lowered hand.

"We don't have much time. Gidjet got a hold of the Izumo, hopefully they're on their way." Stoner called down, who was also snapping a few shots of them.

---

"You're sure the U.F. is there?" Jurgens asked again, who doubted the situation.

"Holland is positive. He's already set out to find Renton." Gidjet replied through the comm.. Jurgens smirked and leaned back in his seat.

"Well, I'll have to put my faith in him again. We'll be there as soon as we can." The comm. shut off and Jurgens stood up. "Vice Captain, quickly get Anemone. Tell her that we'll be needing her help in this." The woman nodded and started out the door. "Jarek, contact the Orak, see how their special operations are going. Some how the U.F. found out where the Gekko-State would be landing, and I want to know why we didn't know." A man down at his comm. station nodded, and started away at the controls. Jurgens waited patiently, waiting until the Orak would respond.

"The signals a little fuzzy, I'll see if I can clear it up." The younger man continued working at the controls, occasional stopping to turn a knob.

"Izumo…." The name crackled through the comm. until it was washed out by a clutter of crackles. "This is the Orak… Do you read?" This time the signal was stronger. The man seemed slightly excited as he turned a few more knobs.

"Got it Captain, it should be ready." He gave a thumb up, and then turned back down to his controls.

"This is the Izumo, we were just contacting you Orak, what is it?" There was a long pause, and it almost seemed as if the connection was lost again.

"Finally, we have been trying to reach you for several days now." A relieved voice came through the comm.. Jurgens looked up in surprise.

"Several days now?" Jurgens repeated in a curious tone.

"Yes, I'm hoping we're not too late. But we've recently discovered that there is a large force of U.F. ships rounding in the southern coast, around where the city of Alika is." Jurgen's eyes became slightly wider.

"That's where the Gekko-Go is… Orak, I want you to report to that area immediately." Jurgens commanded.

"What? Right away commander." The man seemed a little lost, but he followed the order. Captain Jurgens then stepped over to the comm. station.

"This is going to be a big problem. If that information is right, then Holland is right. The U.F. must be trying to get Renton…"

---

"Gah… This is not a fair play… what do you call this game again?" Konner asked in a dreary voice. Dominic rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat.

"It's called chess, now make your move!" Dominic pointed down at the board with its scattered piece. Kon scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Ok… well." He started, but then stopped to consider another option.

"Kon, you think too much." Anemone called across the room in a dull tone.

"I think too much?" Kon responded, slightly hurt by the comment. He looked back down at the board, still lost on what to do.

"I can't take it any more." Anemone whined and she stood up. She walked over to the board, lifted a piece, and moved it forward. "There!" She smiled in satisfaction, but it was quickly received by Dominic's defiant laugh.

"Anemone, that wont do you-" He paused as the smile faded, and it was immediately replaced with a look of shock. "Impossible!" He gasped as he realized that the tides of the battle had turned.

"What? What did she do? Am I winning?" Konner's excitement began to build, finally seeing some good action in the game. A few moments passed with Dominic desperately looking for his next move, but nothing came.

"Dominic, do you mind if I try something?" Klera asked from behind them. Dominic looked back with a raised brow, and then turned back to the board.

"If you can do something, go ahead." He responded with a small snort. Klera stepped forward and looked over the board carefully. She then reached down and moved a piece to the right. Anemone glanced at the piece, and then her own move. Shortly after, Klera made another move, then Anemone, then Klera, and they both continued to switch back and forth. Dominic and Konner were forced out of their seats as the two heated in the sense of strategy.

"How did this happen?" Konner asked from beside Dominic. They were both looking down at the two, who were intently staring down at the board.

"I don't know… but it leaves a sharp pain in my stomach." Dominic let out a depressing sigh. The door slid open, and every one turned their heads to see the Vice Captain of the Izumo step in.

"Anemone, we're heading to Arika, and Captain Jurgens wants you to pilot the new prototype. Konner, I think you should prepare with the previous prototype." Anemone and every one stood up, ready for the duty at hand.

"The new prototype?" Anemone frowned slightly, not having heard of it before.

"Yes, it's been a project taking place in hanger D for a while now. It's a new type that requires two pilots." She saluted and then left the room.

"Two pilots?" Anemone groaned as the door shut behind the Vice Captain.

---

"Let me go!" Eureka yelled as two men attempted to hold her back. Captain Polin watched with what looked like little sympathy, but there was something else moving in his eyes.

"Leave it to us, we'll capture him sure enough. This whole region is blocked off, the Gekko-Go won't be escaping." He spoke in a stern and confident voice, but Eureka refused to agree.

"Captain." A female called from the comm. station. "There is a signal from Rekina." Polin instantly cleared his voice and stepped forward.

"Put her through." He commanded with a wave of his hand. The woman nodded and tapped a few buttons.

"Captain Polin?" A cool female voice called through the comm..

"Yes Rekina?" He called back, almost stumbling over his words. There was a short pause that left an ominous feeling in the bridge.

"How did the operation go?" She asked with a tinge of curiosity.

"The first plan didn't work, even when we caught him alone… But we have the area blockaded, this time we'll get him." Another paused settled in the silent comm., only leaving the sound of the small pops of miss fed signals.

"Very well… send out Eureka." She ordered and Polin took a step back in surprise.

"Eureka? Are you sure that is a wise decision?" Polin stated while he took a quick glance at Eureka, who seemed to be smiling mockingly.

"Do you doubt my idea?" The voice shuddered against the air.

"No, She will be released immediately into the battle." Polin gritted his teeth, trying with every he had not to protest.

"Good, make sure she is the one to obtain Renton. Since she is the only one who can convince him. I'm positive that Renton will be drawn out when he sees the Xellien." Polin nodded, letting the new idea enter his consideration. Originally, he figured he would have to take down the Gekko-Go all together. But luring them would be easier, and relatively possible.

"Of course Rekina, I apologize for my lack of understanding." Polin bowed, even though she wasn't there to see it.

"We all make mistakes Polin… follow your orders." And when her last word finished, the comm. shut off. Eureka attempted to move, but the two men held her in place.

"Let her go, Rekina is right." The two men looked at each other in surprise, and then lifted their hands from her.

"Thank you Captain Polin." Eureka glared before she left the command room. Polin watched her walk away, a strange look on his face. His brows crumpled together into a frown, and his eyes ran the motion of worry.

"When did I loose site of the path…" He murmured under his breath, and then sat down at the command seat.

---

"This thing isn't like the type theEND, its loaded with many different functions. It also cant be managed with one person. You could drive it, but doing battle in it is a different story." A scientist spoke to Anemone, who was sitting in the seat of a large LFO. This LFO was shaped strangely, with its cockpit built on either side of the head, rather then through the back.

"Alright… a second pilot?" She mumbled and looked down at Dominic, Klera, and Konners, who were looking back up in amazement. "Konner is taking the other prototype… Klera and Dominic can't pilot anything, well, besides a shuttle." She sighed in a small whimper. But then a strange thought leaped into her head,

"Then again… there is always Renton." She whispered.


	14. Chapter 14: Dark Veils

**Chapter 14: Dark Veils**

"Renton?" A quiet voice timidly called across the room. Renton lifted his head and quickly wiped his face. But when his hand reached up to wipe away any falling tears, his hand only touched dry skin. Frowning, he glanced down at his hand, and realized that no tears had ever fallen from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, nothings wrong." He turned around in Eureka's bed. The kids were staring from the door, their eyes revealed the little trust they had in his words. It didn't seem fair to him, he was trying with all his strength to be strong. But with what had happened, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep up with anything anymore.

"Did you see mama?" Maurice asked from behind Maeter. Renton smiled against the weight of his cheeks.

"No…yes" He finally gave up in the fight. The kids just stood there, staring at him. "I'm not sure when Eureka will be coming back. I've tried to be strong Maurice… Maeter… And Linck." The urge to cry built inside his chest, but no tears would purge from his eyes.

"You mean mama's not coming back?" Linck started and his voice began crack. Renton stood up and immediately shook his head. He ran forward and took Linck in his arms.

"No, I'll bring her back Linck. I promise, that no matter what happens, I'll bring her back." Linck nodded, and took the comfort in his embrace. Maurice and Maeter ran forward as well, and Renton took them into his arms. They shared each other's strength, just as a family should. Renton actually felt a smile pressing at the tips of his lips, never having felt so close to the children before.

"Renton!" A voice broke through the calm that had just settled in the room. The kids broke away and Renton shifted his gaze to see Irik breathing heavily at the door.

"What is it Irik, what's wrong?" Irik quickly shook his head, trying with everything he had to gain back his breath.

"The Izumo is here, they were lucky to not be that far away from the city. But that's not why I'm here, I'm here because of Anemone." He coughed a few times, speaking to quickly for his throat to keep up. Renton's frown creased tighter, and then stood up.

"Anemone, what do you mean?" He asked with utter confusion to how Anemone got into the subject, or why Irik was even here.

"Listen Renton, the Xellien has been spotted outside." Irik paused when he noticed a shocked expression succumb to Renton's face. "Holland didn't tell you, for reasons I'm sure you can assume. But there is something you should know, and that is that Anemone is waiting outside for you right now. The Izumo is waiting not to far away, preparing to make a clearing for the Gekko-Go. Anemone was sent out, and even though Commander Jurgens doesn't know of it, or even Holland. Kon, Klera, Dominic and I have a plan to get the Xellien. It deals with the new prototype, a new one that can't be piloted without two occupants. One is required to fly and direct the LFO itself, while that other manages detection and battle systems." Irik finished, his quick breath was finally slowing down. And it seemed as if the sweat on his head was finally drying. Renton wasn't sure how to react. Too many thoughts were bouncing around in his head. His eyes were wide, staring right back into Irik's own eyes. But they were lost in the idea. Irik didn't break eye contact, he understood that Renton was confused and unsure. So he stood ready for the answer, what ever it may be. After a few more moments of complete silence, Renton took a deep breath and nodded.

"Alright, but let me do something." He turned around and knelt down next to the kids. "Linck., Maeter… and Maurice." His words were firm and confident, yet there was a small hint of concentration. "I know that Eureka has been gone a long time… and I know that you guys know why. I wish it had never happened, and that me, you, and your mother could have just gone on living." He paused and looked at the ceiling, as if searching for the running solutions.

"Renton… we know that you'll come back." Maurice said with a natural tone. Renton sifted his gaze back into Maurice's eyes. The two stared at each other, and then Renton switched his gaze between the other two. All three were smiling with understanding, something he needed at the exact moment.

"You three are incredible." He whispered and took all of them in his arms. "You are such a strength." He pulled away and stood up. "Stay strong for me." He spoke softly, only loud enough for them to hear. After one final glance, he stepped out the door and into the hall with Irik.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Irik asked, and almost laughed at the idiotic question.

"Yes." Renton replied in all seriousness.

"Good, then follow me." The amusement disappeared and the two started down the hall. Irik led Renton through several twists and turns. His first thought was the Hanger, but then again, that did seem a little obvious. Instead of the hanger, Irik led him to a room that he was too familiar with.

"Why are we here?" Renton asked, and glanced around the cramped space. It was the same room where he had run from the Gekko-Go, where he thought that he would never see Eureka again.

"Because Anemone is waiting just outside." Irik responded while resting his hand on the latch lever, he motioned his hand at the hatch door.

"Shouldn't I grab a parachute or something, encase she misses?" Renton questioned, looking at Irik's hand uncomfortably.

"She'll catch you." He simply replied and pulled the lever. Renton fell through and light instantly surrounded his eyes. His hands reached up and shielded his eyes from the overloading colors. An energy was quickly building in his lungs, and it slowly felt its way to his throat. The urge to scream was about to break through, until he suddenly felt hard ground slam against his legs. A shift of momentum shot through his body, and he fell backwards into a comfortable seat.

"Gah!" He muttered as the light dimmed all around him. He opened his eyes to see that he was now inside of a very white cockpit.

"Hey Renton, how are you?" Anemone's cheery voice came over some speaker that Renton couldn't find.

"Anemone? You were literally waiting just outside?" Renton said while he rubbed his tender legs that were still ringing from the sudden landing.

"Well I kinda would have to of been. Otherwise you wouldn't be landing at this height." She laughed on the other side and Renton rubbed his head as a head ach formed.

"Where are you?" He asked and observed his cockpit carefully. There were two panels on either side of him, both being lined with mini screens and several buttons. In front of him was the usual steering wheel, and the accompanied controls behind it. Though one thing that was strange, was a large helmet sitting on the control panel. He reached out and took it, carefully looking over it with great detail.

"This isn't like the Xellien, the cockpits are separate… And it's lonely over here." She whimpered in a small voice.

"What's with the helmet… and where is the control to clear the view screen?" Renton asked as he suddenly noticed the cockpit had no view out.

"That Helmet is your view screen. This way the cockpit door can be sealed shut with a tighter metal that won't be breeched so easily. But don't worry, slide on the helmet and hit the button just bellow the left jaw area." Her voice was as energetic as always, but for Renton it was nice change of mood. He brushed his hand across the side of the helmet, and found a small panel button. Before he pressed it down, he lifted it to his head and slipped it on. The helmet's inside was lined with several soft padding, as to manage a tight and comfortable fit. All light was sealed off, only leaving darkness in its place. Carefully he traced along the helmet again and pressed the button. The whole view screen suddenly blinked to life. The cockpit faded into view, but the cockpit door suddenly faded out. Then the controls started to fade slightly, being replaced with several glowing green wiry lines. It suddenly felt as if he were floating in air. Everything around him became faded, and he could see the Gekko-Go flying just above them.

"Hey Renton!" Anemone's voice came from the side. He turned his head to see that a thick wall no longer blocked his site from Anemone.

"Incredible." Renton gasped in complete awe "I've never seen such a technology before." He continued to glance around the cockpit. Occasionally soft red lines would point at a button and display a description box just off to the side.

"I know, I was pretty impressed myself." Anemone admitted and she nodded a few times. Renton took one more glance around, and stopped when his eyes fell on an incoming ship from the far off horizon. His interests of everything disappeared, and he remembered the whole point of him being here.

"Has she been spotted yet?" Renton asked in a darkly soft voice. Anemone frowned and glanced over at him. The helmet didn't project an image pass his head, but she had a good idea of what he was thinking.

"We're hiding until she comes into sight." She responded in a now less energetic voic. Gently she looked away, finding it uncomfortable to look at him.

"Anemone?" Renton started as if he were about to ask a question, but seemed to have stopped himself.

"What is it Renton?" Anemone asked carefully and firmly. She wasn't going to let him lock it up inside.

"Well, have you ever felt a connection with Dominic?" The question wisped from his lips. Anemone frowned and tilted her head, considering the question.

"I've loved Dominic, and I've always felt that with him nothing can go wrong."

"No… I mean, an actual connection between the both of you. Like, even when you're apart, you can almost feel each others thoughts." Renton turned his head to look at her. Anemone looked up in surprise, but understood what he meant.

"A few times before, only scarcely, but I think it was just random thoughts bouncing around in my head… which isn't too uncommon." She smiled as if about to laugh, but it faded due to the situation.

"I see… Because, Eureka and I have had a special connection with each other, or at least I think we do. About a month ago, she and I had a dream together. Although the dream was uncomfortable, I was still able to feel her. We were connected, and I could literally feel our thoughts coming together. It was because of that feeling that I think we were saved from the strange dream. Of course, now we know that the dream was due to the inverse drive." He stopped and paused for a second. "The reason I bring it up, is because over this last month, I've had dreams of her. At first I thought they were happening because I missed her, and some of them were. But there were a few that felt so real, as if I could reach out and touch her. In those dreams we were both apart from each other, and we couldn't even hold hands. But even with that great distance, I knew it was her." He stopped, leaving a strange silence in his place. Anemone was looking directly at him, not even breaking her gaze. "Back before the second summer of love… There were times where we connected with out even seeing each other." Renton stopped as his voice trailed off into his own thoughts.

"Renton…" Was all she could think of, but she knew she couldn't stop "I've seen how you two look at each other, how you two just hold each other. I love being around you and Eureka, it brings me an energy that I had almost lost…" She paused for a moment

"You two have something incredibly special Renton, something strong and unbreakable. When the two of you are together, you bring about an aura of pure love and care. I get that same feeling with Dominic." Her voice trailed softly and silence settled in the comm.. Anemone opened her mouth to say something, but something shook the prototype with a loud band.

"Attack from behind, the computers are flipping out from the massive jolt. It'll take a second for them to heat back up to battle." Renton yelled as all the computer screens flashed around them, and dark spots faded in and out as the computer attempted to project the images in the helmet.

"I got a lock on the unit… it's the Xellien!" Anemone confirmed in a steady voice. Renton nodded and gripped his controls. The computer had finally caught up with the sudden action.

"We have to disable it." Renton whispered to himself.

---

"Incoming unit from the back!" Gidjet yelled for everyone to hear.

"S.U.?" Holland asked, only glancing over at her station for a brief second. Gidjet squinted at the controls, and the flinched back in surprise.

"No… It's the Xellien, and it's passing right under us." She paused for a moment "A new unit is finally being picked up on our radar. The computer doesn't recognize the design." Gidjet said in her confusion.

"Woz?" Holland said the name, knowing that it would be enough. Woz glanced at the computer screen. His hands were quickly moving across the controls.

"It's not a design I've seen before… and it doesn't follow any conventional systems. All I know is that the Xellien wants it." Woz spoke in a stressed voice.

"Lets get something on it, make contact with their communications." Holland looked directly at Gidjet before turning his attention back to the view screen. Already he could see swarms of KLFs falling from the U.F. ships. But just as they did so, the Izumo twisted out from the clouds, and launched its own onslaught of units. The battle was about to begin… he only hoped Renton was safe in his room.

---

"Make contact with the Gekko-Go." Jurgens commanded from his chair. The communications officer nodded at his station and began working at the controls.

"We're picking up a total of fifty KLFs from the enemy… and five S.U.s." A women announced from the front of the command room. She paused for a second, looking over the controls with partial confusion. "They aren't influencing any attack on us or our KLFs… They seem to be following the new prototype and Xellien. What's odd is that they wont engage them." The women's voice revealed her obliviousness to the situation. Jurgens leaned back and pondered all that was happening.

"One of two things… They want the new prototype, or some one is there that they want… But it can't be Renton." He gazed out the view port, searching for the hidden reason of odd actions. A frown started to submerge his face.

"Secured connection established." The communications officer announced. Jurgens nodded in gratitude and took hold of the comm. microphone.

"Gekko-Go, this is the Izumo, we are picking up several U.F. ships. With the way things are turning in the tides, we're about to be hit with a pretty big wave. Get over here as fast as you can. We'll try to cover you as long as possible." He paused and waited for a reply.

"Hey Yurgus, just another lovely day in the swarms of battle, eh?" Holland replied through the comm., his sarcastically cheery. Jurgens sighed and gingerly shook his head.

"You have Renton right? The U.F. has no reason to stop when they know they have the advantage to the situation." Holland sighed at what Jurgens had said. A seriousness of the situation was setting down in all of the cracks.

"I know Jurgens… Yes, he's onbor-" Holland strangely stopped in line of speech. There came no reply for a long time.

"Holland?" Jurgens frowned down at the speaker, wondering what could have caused the sudden stop of conversation.

"Please no…" Holland whispered back in a voice of pure hope and weakness. "Matthieu, check on Irik and confine him to his room, and Stoner, check on Renton!" Hollands voice exploded from the speakers.

"Holland, what is it?"

"Sorry Jurgens, we have a problem, although I'm begging that we're wrong." Jurgens frown creased tighter at the weakness in Holland's voice.

"Why?" Jurgens asked in dark curiosity.

"Because if I'm right… then we've lost this pointless war."

---

"Renton." A voice broke through the speakers, one that made Renton's entire body flinch. It was hers, and Renton had no doubt.

"Eureka, what are you doing?" Renton asked in all of the confusion. The prototype was quickly speeding along the ground. Dirt and wind swirled behind it as its giant mass flew pass. The Xellien was quickly following behind and avoiding the line of debris. But five ominous figures surrounded them, not even attempting to disturb the battle between the two. Each one was silent, and even though their outer appearance was pure and white. The obvious darkness beneath their hard shells was bulging with sinister control. They were known as the S.U.s, perfect examples that spell out the evil behind the U.F.s design.

"I'm here to take you Renton. I know you don't understand, so I don't mind your resisting." She spoke in a cool soft voice. The very essence of the tone calmed his tense muscles. The grip on reality was slipping, and he knew it. But he wasn't sure he wanted to resist… as long as he could be with her… He shook his head massively.

"No… no…" He kept repeating to himself. Something was affecting his mind. His first thought was the inverse drive, but he knew the bigger reason was Eureka.

"Renton, please come bac-"

"EUREKA!" Anemone's voice broke the distance between them. "What is wrong with you?" She yelled as the Xellien crashed into the Prototype. Eureka didn't respond, it seemed as if she didn't have an answer. The two LFOs clashed with each other. The S.U.s hovered darkly and waited until the moment was appropriate.

"Eureka, Renton has been in pain, cant you tell? Haven't you noticed that those feelings and emotions aren't yours? Those are artificial emotions to confuse you. I'm sitting next to Renton right now, and even though I cant see his face…" She stopped when her voice started to crackle. Renton tilted his head up, surprised to see a wet streak running down her neck.

"A tear." He whispered, and looked around the cockpit. A realization was starting to breach his thoughts, a new idea with new paths to take. His eyes searched around the cockpit, as if everything he glanced at had a new meaning behind it. "Eureka… I'll get you back. I'll save you from the chains that are holding you down." Renton clenched his teeth and clenched the controls. Anemone tilted her head up in utter shock. The willingness to fight was now flowing through Renton's movement. He turned his head towards Anemone. "I know what I should do." The words flowed from his mouth, holding the very armor of courage and confidence. Anemone felt the energy starting to pour into her own confidence. Renton was now living again, and he was ready to save the one he loved.

"I'll help you Renton, we'll get her back." The two clutched the controls with a new strength. The Prototype twisted around and four rocket burst to life. Beams of blazing fire pushed the Prototype forward, right into the Xellien. The two struggled with each other. One of the S.U.s turned down, seeing that the battle was starting to waver. The S.U. dipped down and took immediate action.

"Incoming S.U." Renton firmly ran his voice into the comm..

"Understood." Anemone responded in the same tone. The two were now in sink with the same object in mind. Eureka was trapped, and it was there mission to save her. The Prototype picked up its legs and kicked off the Xellien. It flipped into the air and latched onto the incoming S.U.. The Prototype lifted its arm and three blades shot out from the wrist. The arm fell down and shoved the curved blades right into the S.U.s cockpit.

"Down." Renton muttered as he pulled on the controls and the arm followed the lead. Anemone twisted her own wheel and the Prototype let go and turned back towards the Xellien. The Xellien was standing back down at the ground in peculiar patience. Renton's hand twitched as he gazed down at the tall LFO.

"Are you alright Renton?" Anemone asked, some how must have noticed his strange twitch.

"Yeah…" He replied and motioned her to continue down.

---

"Holland, Renton is not in his room." Stoner said through the ship's internal comm.. "The kids say he left with Irik, and that he was going to save Eureka."

" Dang it NO!" Holland yelled with a curdling anger. He raised his fist and slammed it down on the arm rest. Every one twisted their heads towards him in surprise.

"Holland?" Ken-Goh asked in a odd tone.

"The Xellien is concentrating on that LFO… That must be where Renton is." Holland stood up and quickly rushed over to Gidjet. He rudely reached down and pressed a few buttons. "Matthieu, lock Irik in a cell if you find him. Stoner, I also want you to start searching for Irik. If either of you find him, I want to report to the other, and then me." He quickly reached down again and pressed a few more buttons. "Jurgens, we have a problem. I think Renton is in that LFO down there. I don't know how he got in… but I'm sure of it." Holland locked his eyes on the speakers and waited impatiently.

---

Jurgens raised his head at Holland strange comment.

"I think I know why." He shook is his head in disbelief "Vice captain, get Dominic. I some how have a feeling he'll understand the situation a little better then we do." The vice captain nodded oddly and followed her order. "Sorry for not informing you Holland. That LFO is a new prototype design. It can only be used in battle while two people are piloting. Where else would she get a spare pilot…" Jurgens rested his face in his hands "What was I thinking." He muttered.

"What do you mean Jurgens?" Holland inquired through his impatience. Jurgens raised his head.

"They're out there for Eureka." Jurgens let out a single laugh "I'm such an idiot. What could I have been thinking. Of course Anemone would do this. She would want to help Renton, at least with the way she is now… for what she has become."

---

"I have the truth Renton, just let me show you." Eureka's cool voice sifted through the comm..

"Eureka, please stop this." He begged back into the microphone. "Don't let the kids suffer any longer." Renton waited for an answer. He could only imagine how she would react to what he had said. But as time went along, no answer would come. With all the energy and understanding he had gained, it started to drain again. Saving Eureka was his knew hope, but it was drowned down as he realized there was nothing to support it. Every hit against the Xellien left a painful feeling in his chest. The battle was turning on his self, and he felt as if they were loosing.

The Xellien pounded against them with chaotic fury. It lifted a leg and shoved its knee right into the Prototypes stomach. Once again the computer began to flicker from the massive impact.

"Everything must be a little loose. The computer systems are reacting to easily to the impacts." Anemone spoke into the comm. as the Xellien landed another kick at them. The Prototype fell backwards through the air.

"We were winning… what could have happened." Renton glanced up at Xellien, which seemed as if it were falling away from them. But the truth was, they were falling away from it.

"Controls are stable again, hold on Renton." Anemone stressed her voice as the Prototype gripped its board and stable itself. The abrupt stop of movement pushed their bodies deep into the seats. The Xellien slammed against them and wrapped its legs around the Prototypes arms. Gently each reached across and gripped a hold on the right cockpit. The jolt caused Renton to shake around in his seat. He could hear Renton scream as everything started to fall away.

"Just a little late, but hey, we're not all perfect." A voice chuckled through the comm.. Renton looked up in shot, and just over the Xellien's shoulder, he could see the Konner's old prototype flying towards them. An energy started to build in Renton's body, a new hope that wasn't built on false truths.

"Kon!" Anemone yelled in excitement.

"As always." He responded in a cheery voice. As Renton watched, he could see two S.U.s charging towards Kon.

"Konner!" Renton quickly yelled into the comm..

"I got am, just watch." His voice was slightly smirkish, and Renton watched in horror as the S.U.s charged at the Kon. Just as they were about to rush into him, Kon twisted his LFO to the right and lifted his board with his feet. He then twisted in the air and shoved the board right into the S.U.s head. It knocked the enemy backwards, momentarily setting it off balance. Kon then swerved down and charged at the Xellien.

"Then we still have a chance." Renton sighed as a wave of relief washed over his body. He shifted his vision back up to Konner, and then gripped the controls. Now he was ready to continue this battle and save Eureka. But a strange feeling locked itself around Renton's eyes as he watched. Fear surrounded his body, but disbelief would let none of it in. The Xellien let go of them and turned around towards Konner. It then raised its arm back, as if ready to punch. The arm pushed forward, and a long spike shot out of the forearm like a harpoon, but the spear never detached itself. Konner rushed himself right into long tipped blade. All the sound around Renton muted as he watched. For a split second, he though he could hear a faint screaming voice. Whether or not it was Anemone's or his own, he couldn't tell. Either way, the voice buried itself deep into his stomach. It writhed inside his bowls, leaving a strange pain he had never experienced before.

"Kon?" Renton whispered filled the empty air. Everything stood still like he was looking at a picture. A new screen appeared before his eyes. Inside the small box he could see a dark glowing red room. Konner's face was soaked with face, but even through his fatigue Renton could see a smile on his face.

"Renton, I trust you with what I'm about to say… and you too Anemone." The world stopped for one moment, just on a bare whim. "Me and Klera would be married… but its hard when you're aboard a ship." His voice crackled and a drip of blood fell from the tip of his cheek.

"Let every one know… that I didn't go out here die. That I've always feared fighting another being... but I always did what I needed to do." He stopped and glanced up at Renton. "I know it sounds corny Renton, but let Klera know that I loved her… and that she was the only strength I had for a while." Tears started to stream down the man's cheek "I didn't want to die Renton, but that seems unavoidable now. There are so many things I've left unfinished… Renton, don't leave things to the last second. Don't waste what time has given you." With on last nod of gratitude, everything sped back up to normal speed. The Xellien's harpoon blade retracted back into the wrist. Only a second later, the old prototype exploded along with Konner inside. Renton now felt a yell burst from his lips, and he had no control over it. But as he watched, the yell drifted into nothing, and he froze in place.

"Eureka." He whispered silently. The Xellien turned around and gripped their LFO. It reached forward and tore off the cockpit door. Renton gazed into an abyss of nothing. He could hear Anemone's yells, telling him to move and run… but thoughts were locked away from his mind. He didn't know what to do or how to do it… nothing would come. Carefully the Xellien lifted a hand in and took hold of him. The moment he was safely away from the Prototype, the Xellien shoved the battered prototype backwards. A large screech pierced the air as the prototype was ripped off its board and sent periling back down to earth. Gently the Xellien lifted Renton up. The cockpit slid open and Renton fell into one of the seats.

"Renton, are you alright?" Eureka rushed to ask as he slipped into the chair next to her. Renton looked around the cockpit carefully, searching for something or anything that would shut away the pain he was feeling. But as he searched the controls, the panels, and the screens, nothing would come. His eyes finally fell on Eureka, who was looking right back at him. Her eyes were filled with care, concern, and love.

"I don't know anymore." He spoke in a quivering voice. The two looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Finally they fell into each other's arms. All the pain in his chest started to drift away as he held her. A new feeling spread through his mind. He was there for her, and she was there for him.

"Don't run away Renton… please." He felt her crying into his shoulder. The feeling was blissful, but some where in the back of his mind he could feel that same lie. That lie settled itself into his thoughts, and he pondered it. "Renton, is it you?" She asked as she held onto him. He frowned in confusion, and he shoved the lie from his conscience. From then on, everything holding his mind back disappeared, even the battle.

"Yes." He responded in a curious voice, and wondered why she had asked. But then as thoughts went on, he suddenly felt a long lost connection rebuilding with her. "I'm real this time." He whispered back, and felt his own eyes moistening, but the tears never fell. It entered his thoughts that she must have had occasions where she saw him, but it wasn't truly him. He had had instances of the same stature, and each time it left a dark indent in his mind.

"Please don't leave me again." Her voice softly called up into his ears.

"Not again Eureka, I promise." He responded gently. They stayed that way for a long time, just holding each other. Eureka pulled away, a renewed smile on her face. Renton smiled as well, but it faded as a strange feeling swirled inside him. Eureka tilted her head at him.

"What is it?" She asked at his frown.

"Its weird… I feel like I shouldn't forget something, but its not coming." He rubbed his head as a head ach started to form. Eureka leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. It surprised him, but he didn't deny it. She pulled away with the same soft smile.

"We're heading out, just trust me Renton." She put her forehead against his and then turned back to the controls. The Xellien shot forward, and they were on their way to the U.F..

---

"Anemone!" Dominic yelled as he jumped out of the large shuttle. Ten more men followed his lead, one of them being captain Jurgens.

"Commander, I still don't understand why the U.F. would just leave like so. Are you sure that there isn't some other reason… perhaps they're waiting for us to pull out the rest of our forces?" A man spoke insistently beside Jurgens. Jurgens didn't seem to hear him. Instead, his attention was on Dominic running towards the crash of the new prototype. He carefully kept an eye on Dominic's face, waiting for the expression that would reveal the outcome of this battle. As they walked forward, an orange 606 flew above, and landed not to far from the shuttle. Holland, Matthieu, and Stoner hopped out.

"Don't worry Yinik, sadly… we'll be alright." Jurgens shook his head and then started walking towards Holland.

"Sadly?" Yinik frowned at the strange choice of words.

"How do things check out?" Holland asked as he rushed up next to Jurgens.

"Not sure yet, but we'll find out in a second." Jurgens nodded at the new prototype where Dominic was tugging on the emergency latch lever. He finally pulled it with a strange of desperation. The cockpit door slid open and he dived in. Anemone was inside, lying peacefully against her seat.

"Anemone?" He carefully put a hand to her cheek. Her eyes softly drifted open, staring right at Dominic.

"We lost." Anemone whispered with tears swelling in her eyes. Dominic smiled gently and lifted her up out the seat.

"It's not over yet." He whispered back and still held his kind smile. Anemone looked into his eyes hopefully as if wanting to believe what he was saying, but she shook her head.

"What about Konner?" She started to take deep breaths, trying to keep herself from crying. "And now the U.F. has both Eureka and Renton." Dominic shook his head and pulled her close. She pressed her face into his shoulder and let her cries emerge. Dominic looked down at her with concerned eyes.

"Dominic?" Jurgens called from bellow.

"Anemone is alright, but Renton is gone." Dominic carefully scanned the area uncomfortably. He felt a new strange feeling starting to swell in his own eyes. "And there isn't a shrapnel piece left of the previous prototype." His voice became harder to hold as he spoke, and Anemone cries became louder against his chest. Jurgens shared a face of sympathy towards them.

"Dominic, I'm not holding you here any longer, neither Anemone. I want you two to go back to the Izumo, you're off duty for now." Jurgens motioned towards the shuttle. Dominic tried to share a smile of gratitude, but it was strangely difficult. The two left towards the shuttle, leaving the other men behind.

"Have we lost the war?" Matthieu asked with true intent.

"Not yet, but nigh close." Holland responded and sat down on the ground. His eyes drifted over the new prototype and its battered shape. Jurgens sat down next to him.

"We just lost our most powerful weapons." Jurgens paused and snorted "And we gave them to the enemy." Holland let out a single laugh himself.

"I get a feeling that we aren't lucky enough to have this war end that quickly. This is all going to drag on for a while." Holland stood up and gritted his teeth. "It's all too common." He muttered and turned around. Jurgens nodded and stood up as well. Above them the Izumo glided slowly. A small black shuttle dropped out and shot forward. It headed up and disappeared into the clouds.

"What was that?" Holland curiously asked as he saw the shuttle disappear.

"Our personal special operative." Jurgens responded simply "He'll follow the U.F. ships and keep a good track on them. His skills consist of infiltration and spying. I have no doubt that he'll be able to keep a close watch on Eureka and Renton. But then again, I've put my hopes into false things before." He shook his head solemnly.

"His name?" Holland asked before walking away.

"His operative name is Artisen."

---

Renton sat in the seat as they flew along. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, but he wasn't sure what it was. Turning his head down, he noticed the compac drive, or at least he though it was the compac drive.

"Eureka… what is that?" Renton asked and pointed down at the device. The more he examined it, the stranger it seemed. It wasn't like a normal compac. Four black lines traveled across the corners and met at the top. The top itself had thick black extension. Four black spikes pointed out and curved back in. Each one pointed a small sphere that was floating in a small crater in the device. Three more black lines swirled around the sphere and wrapped around it. The small sphere gave of a dark purple glow. Even with all these strange features, the oddest of all was the inside. Rather then there being a hollow green glow, it was a dark shade of purple that pulse slightly. On the inside, several thin lines that traced the glass. Occasionally a red little glow would follow the lines and then dissipate at the end.

"The compac drive… why?" Eureka asked and tilted her head in mild confusion.

"I don't know… it's just." Renton rubbed his temples again as another head ach began to form.

"Renton, we're finally here." Eureka nodded out the view screen with a small smile of excitement. Renton frowned and looked up to see a large ship. It reminded him of the orange one that Dewey Novak had use in his assault of the command cluster. But this one was a pure white that lined with black edges. The white metallic shell reflected the sun's brilliant rays.

"What is that?" Renton muttered with awe. Eureka shared a quick amused glance at him.

"I'll show you once we land inside." She pulled on the controls and the Xellien dived in.

Once they had landed, Eureka led Renton down the halls. He wasn't sure why, but he felt extremely uncomfortable in the setting. Everything before him seemed threatening, besides Eureka. So during the walk down the long white halls, he kept his eyes on Eureka. Four men followed behind them, each one holding a sturdy gun, and every now and then they would pass other men walking the opposite direction. There were several doors that lined the halls, but other then that, the place seemed pretty plain to him. After turning many corners, they reached a door lined with the U.F.'s popular symbol. Each guard turned around and stood ready, while Eureka stepped forward through the door.

"You can finally meet the one that told me the truth." Eureka whispered back as they stepped into a dimly lit room. Renton flinched when he heard the doors close behind them. He quickly summed up his surroundings. The room was large, but plain at the same time. An immense chair was propped up at the back, it almost resembled a throne. Just above it was large green flag with the symbol of the U.F. Sitting in the throne was a woman who seemed to be in her twenties or thirties. Her eyes were half closed against them. They didn't seem bored, but rather they seemed to be cold and locked. Her hair was a raven black, and she wore a white angelical dress. Eureka moved closer and Renton followed. When he was only a few feet away, he noticed something strange about her eyes. They were a piercing light blue that reflected an exotic flare.

"Eureka, Renton." She smiled towards them, but it seemed lifeless. Eureka bowed before the woman, which caught Renton off guard. He wasn't sure who to follow, but he did trust Eureka, so he bowed as well.

"I want Renton to know the truth." Eureka's smile still remained as she spoke. The women nodded thoughtfully and turned her gaze towards Renton. He broke his gaze at her once they made eye contact, but quickly managed to sustain the contact again.

"Renton, my name is Rekina." She answered in a fluent voice. Slowly she stood up in her seat and stepped down from the throne like chair. Her draping cloths flopped on the steps behind her. She didn't stop until she was directly in front of Renton, staring deeply into his eyes.

"Rekina?" Renton responded in his obliviousness.

"Yes, I'm one of the last heirs to the sages." Her stature was proud, but Renton say no sign of pride in her face. "The truth is going to be revealed to you Renton, listen carefully." She paused and stepped backed to her throne. "Dewey was a brilliant, even though his actions were recently wrong. We're not sure why he took such rough actions towards the Corralians, but we think differently Renton. The U.F. no longer desire to destroy the Corralians, we only wish to sustain peace. The Pacific Operation Forces are pathetic. They don't want to serve the people, but only control them under a false will. For a long time the P.O.F. have inserted false information into the minds of others, especially the Gekko-State." Renton took a step back in surprise. "Commander Jurgens never wished for the people's freedom. He believes in the old ways of the U.F., and we have changed. That is the true reason they split off from us. Every one is being fooled by these false truths. So Renton, what do you choose?" Renton's eyes were wide in pure shock. He wasn't sure what to think, there were so many different emotions mixing in his body. A foreign thought touched at his mind, making him want to believe. But there was something else there as well, something he recognized as his. But then he considered what she had said, and if she were telling the truth. Slowly Renton turned to look at Eureka, who was staring back at him with soft and gentle eyes. Their violet aura soothed his thoughts as he felt the connection between him and her.

"Well Renton, what do you decide?" Rekina asked with an icy drift. Renton shifted his attention back to Rekina. When ever he looked at her, the strange feeling became thicker.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Renton carefully challenge. Rekina raised a single brow.

"One only sees what one wishes to see, Renton. I've told you the truth, now it is up to you to decide whether or not to except the truth." She responded with simplicity. Renton looked away, finding it hard to grip the words. Nothing was making sense, he was being proven wrong. If it was true, then what was he going to do? All the thoughts trashed at his mind. There were still friends he trusted, people he loved and cared for. The thought of them being enemies haunted the very thing he thought that made him. A strange weight started to settle on his now tender shoulders. Desperately he shifted his gaze once more at Eureka and her smile of absolute kindness. The tender gaze made his decision clear. Hesitantly he lifted his gaze back up to Eureka.

"I trust Eureka." Came the still answer. Rekina smiled in soft satisfaction.

"I'm satisfied that you have decided to take the right path." Rekina's voice frosted the air with its drifting touch.

---

"Dead." Klera muttered in her thoughts. She sat in a medical room, hugging her legs together atop a medical bed. All the computers softly beeped at her, but they made no break into her thoughts. It was colder then she could ever remember, and she could remember some pretty cold places.

Back before she had met by Konner and Jake, and ever further back before then, when she was on the Rehk. The Rehk was her trusted companion. Angered orders from Captain Gail rang in her ears. But before the Rehk, there was her and the roads. Walking across the silent roads reminded her of death. The memory was merely ghost images in her mind now, but she could remember the feeling of just being alone. The warmth and friendliness that Konner had brought into her life was a saving rope. Everything was casual, ordered, and planned, but Konner was different. This was the man that introduced something different to her. Even though he was friendly and talkative, he always seemed silent and quiet around her. As time went along, he finally came up to her one day. The talk between them was simple and short. Through time they had become great friends. She could even remember the day that Konner had confessed the love he had for her… but at that time, she was ignorant of things that didn't make sense to her, and things that didn't make sense to her, scared her. She turned him away and they remained friends. It wasn't some time later until she finally pushed away her fears and embraced the true feelings she had.

A soft laugh forced its way out of her chest, but it was muffled through a painful cry. The smile hurt too much to feel against her cheeks. The door slid open, and the soft steps of human feet followed along the floor. A man wearing a doctors coat looked around the room uncomfortably.

"Klera." He started in a unsure voice. Klera frowned and looked up at the man. His eyes were wondering around the room aimlessly, searching for something other then her eye contact.

"What is it… was the test negative?" She asked from below. The thought was still processing in her mind, but this was all she had left of Konnor, and she wanted to care for it.

"No… the test was positive." The doctor attempted to smile, but it was failed at first try. His frowned deepened and he finally held his eyes with hers. It became deathly obvious that something was wrong. "Klera… There was a strange residue in the test. I ran what I found under several procedures, and it confirmed." He paused and sighed one last time.

"Klera, after all you've been through, you don't deserve to hear this, but that wont get us anywhere. You have a cancer that infects the main arteries. The cancer has been dormant for a long time now, and I'm afraid the infection has spread to deep for removal. There is a minor chance that you could survive with some special drugs, but the risk of loosing-" He trailed off and finally broke his firm gaze. The air in the room became still against them. Any possible hope was now drained from Klera's body, leaving her completely lifeless. Gently she reached down and rubbed the hard metallic brand around her finger.

"I know." She called in a trembling voice. "Time?" She asked while tears glided down her reddening cheeks. The doctor closed his eyes and slipped off his glasses.

"A year." He replied.


	15. Chapter 15: Locked Unlocked

**Chapter 15: Locked Unlocked**

Irik sat in his cramped room, the same one that had once belonged to Renton. His face was etched with fatigue and stress. The computer sat on the small desk that was cramped against the back wall. It made no sound against him, since it had no power to feed it.

"How's he doing?" Holland's muffled voice came through the door. Irik slowly lifted his head to look.

"Hasn't made a sound, and we disconnected his computer. We've searched the room for anything else he could use to contact the U.F.." Matthieu's voice came this time.

"Alright, I'll take the watch for now."

"Ok, good, I was getting a little hungry." He responded cheerfully and the sound of foot steps faded away. Shortly after, the door slid aside and Holland stepped through. His face was emotionless, but his eyes were fierce with anger.

"Well Irik… I've been waiting to talk to you." Holland stepped forward and held a direct gaze at Irik's eyes. Irik turned away, his face revealing the guilt he was feeling. When Irik made no move to defend himself, Holland decided to continue. "You've been working with the U.F. the whole time. I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out. How else would they have known to launch a surprise attack when we were going to take down the secreted Inverse Drive development facility. How else could the U.F. had known that we were going to land in that city for re-supplies. And how else could they finally develop the Inverse Drive, with out your help." Holland shook his head and laughed at his own idiocy.

"Holland I…" Irik started, but his voice quickly fell in strength.

"Irik… Because of you, the P.O.F. are going to loose. Because of you, many people are going to die. Because of you, the U.F. now have Renton and Eureka…. Because of you, Irik, Konner is dead." Holland's amusement fade, and was replaced with a new anger. He clenched his teeth and knelt down closer to Irik. "You've fooled all of us Irik… even me. I thought you were seeking shelter and help, and so I provided it." Holland felt his fists closing tightly together, resisting the urge to strike something, anything.

"Holland please listen." Irik's voice cracked suddenly. Holland stood up and looked down with no sympathy.

"Go ahead and try to defend yourself." Holland leaned against the wall and waited. Tears began to stream down Irik's cheeks.

"This wasn't how I wanted things to be, I didn't have a choice. They told me my sister was alive, and they had her." Holland frowned at Irik, surprised at this new knowledge.

"I had never seen my sister's death. That single glimpse of hope seemed too desirable to be untrue. I followed every order they gave me. I had given them what they needed for the device, and I thought it was be over, but no. I got aboard your ship and that's where they wanted me to stay. While I was aboard, I had dropped in on your conversations. It was so simple, and the rewards seemed so great. Now they've got what they want… I know my sister isn't alive." He pressed his face into his hands as the tears became thicker. "Holland, I was simply fooled into believing false hopes. To see my sister again was everything I've ever wanted. I loved my sister with my life… and my soul." His voice became weak, and he finally crackled under pressure. "I didn't want Konner to die, and I never wanted to betray you or the others… my friends." He whispered the last words in his quaking voice. "I was fooled… I was utterly fooled. Even now they're still telling me she's alive, and I know it's a lie. Still they tell me, and I still want to believe it." He vigorously scratched his head, as if trying to shake something out. "I keep thinking that it's possible Holland. I don't suspect forgiveness, I just wish I could make things right again… but now Konner is dead." After finishing he could no longer hold it in. His voice broke and he began to cry. He wasn't sure whether or not Holland had already left. A hand suddenly laid itself on its head. Irik looked up in shock, seeing Holland's face was calm. Every spec of anger that had once been there was now gone.

"Irik." He started and knelt down. "You've made a lot of mistakes." Holland briefly looked down at the ground, searching for the right words. "I'm willing to give you a second chance." Irik's eyes went wider in shock. Holland understood him in a way he thought no one else could.

"You're willing to let me make up for my sins?" Irik asked in desperate hope. He received a single nod from Holland. A smile of pure joy spread on Irik's face. His brain started to turn again. His thoughts were clear, and he felt an energy he had thought long gone. "Holland… I'm going to fix this. There are some things I can't change, but I'm willing to do my best." Irik stood up and glanced around the room. Papers were scattered about the floor. He quickly reached down and picked one up.

"Irik." Holland stood up and looked him directly in the eye. Irik quickly turned and froze when he saw the seriousness and importance in Holland's face.

"Yes?" Irik responded hesitantly. Holland didn't speak, but instead just looked directly into Irik's face.

"Don't make me regret giving you a second chance." His voice was firm and steady. Irik didn't break his gaze. His body calmed and he nodded.

"Holland, I want to fix my mistake, and I know how. I think there might be a way to block the signals being sent to the Inverse Drive. This won't deactivate the Drive itself, but it should buy us enough time to reach through to Eureka and Renton." Holland tilted his head at Irik's idea.

"You mean, you think you know how to block it?" Holland asked with pleasant surprise.

"Yes, it will take time, but I think I know. Also, I know how to lure the Xellien here as well." A tight smile was forming on Irik's face. Holland actually took a step back in astonishment

"How?" Holland asked with great curiosity. Irik smirked and nodded back at his computer.

"They still think I'm on their side." Holland frowned, not comprehending what he meant, but with a single click the meaning hit him. A smile spread on Holland's face.

"Irik, you still have a chance at making all the difference." Holland almost laughed as a new excitement began to build.

"Trust me Holland, I won't make the same mistake twice." Irik clenched his teeth in the new sudden urge to do things right. "I'm going to bring Renton and Eureka back."

---

Renton tapped his foot on the floor. The day a week ago was a strange day. He tried to remember all that had happened, but all he could remember was being with Eureka. It felt as if he needed to remember something, but it wouldn't come.

"Wrong way!" A yell came down from the long metallic hall. Renton was instantly pulled out of his deep thoughts and sucked back into reality. A few windows quickly reminded him that it was daytime outside. Shaking his head he turned towards the direction he thought he had heard the voice, but all he saw was over stretched halls.

"Strange." He mumbled and quickly tossed the thought out of his mind. Leaning against the wall he could hear the hard running water of a shower. He now remembered that he was waiting for Eureka to finish her shower so they could both go and relax. Reaching up he brushed back his crusty brown hair and realized it has gone dry already from his shower. It also occurred at that moment that Rekina had let them off duty just a few hours ago.

"The U.F." The words fell from his lips unknowingly. It confused him, but the name wouldn't leave his mind. It kept repeating itself over and over, as if it had some great importance. But every time he did concentrate on the U.F., he had a hard time recollecting what had ever had been bad about them. He attempted to dig farther into the thought, but he only received a blank page.

"No… No… I'm supposed to." A voice called along the hall. Renton didn't bother to look up, he didn't care.

"Follow orders, do as they say, don't deny the command." The voice was louder and slightly shaky. Renton's frown became tighter as he attempted to ignore it and concentrate on the U.F..

"Kill no matter what… yeah… no… yes… maybe… how?" This time the voice seemed almost right next to him. "I didn't do what I wasn't supposed to. Yes, attack it, its attempting to interfere with operations. Stop at all cost… no… Unit 13 has been severely damaged? Wait… heart failure and sudden shock… No… do not attempt to save ally, continue with mission. It, wait, yes, It is dead, the operation is back in order… wait… yes… operation is successful, permission to deactivate Drive… what? No, continue." The voice was wispy and unsure. Renton clenched his teeth and turned towards the sound. He almost toppled back when found a man standing next to him. It was U.F. soldier. The man's eyes were slightly slacked and dazed.

"Can I help you?" Renton slowly asked the taller man. The man looked around cautiously, took a deep breath, and took a step forward.

"Unit 12 was attacked, permission to assist… wait… yes… no?" The man frowned and tilted his head at the ceiling. He then turned towards Renton with oddly wide eyes.

"LFO… Pilot of the unidentified LFO." The man stuttered with every word.

"What?" Renton took an uncomfortable step backwards.

"Unit 12 disabled indefinitely, permission to assist?... no." The man clenched his teeth and took a threatening step towards Renton. The man was now angered for reasons Renton didn't understand. He had never met this U.F. soldier before, and for some reason the man kept rambling on random sentences.

"Yes, pilot identified as the pilot of the unidentified…L…LFO. Yes, LFO disabled unit 12…. Wait… yes." The man quickly looked around for no reason. "Permission to assist?" He repeated the same phrase again. For a moment the man went silent and looked up at the ceiling. It seemed as if he was waiting for something to happen, but nothing would come. "Assist? Yes… no?" He stuttered again and reached his hand towards his side. Renton followed the movement and saw that he was reaching for a gun. The man gripped the pistol and held it up with the tip pointed at Renton.

"What are you doing?" Renton asked and stumbled backwards against the wall. The man frowned in odd confusion.

"Assisting?" He said as if he were asking Renton the same question. Suddenly two men wearing strange white suits rushed forward and grabbed the odd one. Each of them wore a suit that completely covered their body from head to feet, with small metallic tube coming out from where their mouth would be. There was no resistance from the other, instead the man's eyes turned dazed against the world and his body turned limp.

"Sorry about the Thurston, we'll take this one from here." One of the other men said as they dragged away the crazy one.

"Where are you taking him, what's wrong?" Renton asked and started to follow, but one of the men quickly raised their hand to stop him.

"Just a minor problem, but we got it." Oddly the man laughed and continued to drag the other along. Feeling it was best Renton didn't follow. He watched as they pulled away the rambling man. Another moment passed and he rubbed his now aching head.

"Something I need to remember… what was it?" Renton muttered.

"Something wrong Renton?" Eureka asked from behind him. He let out a repressed breath at the sound of her calming voice. Turning around he smiled at her and shook his head.

"No, I just forgot something. I'm sure it'll come back soon." He noticed her glistening wings in the window light. They reflected the suns rays with a flaring gold color. Eureka noticed and smiled softly. Carefully she took her golden hair pin and placed it through her silky teal hair.

"Ready?" She took a few steps closer to him. Renton broke his gaze away from the beautiful wing and turned back to Eureka.

"Yeah, let's head back to the room." He smiled and turned around. Just as they were about to continue forward, Renton felt Eureka slip her hand through his. The feeling spread through out his body and forced the smile on Renton's face to grow wider. They continue down the empty and silent halls. All the worries of the U.F. had randomly vanished from Renton's mind. While they continued, he tried to recall what had stressed him on the U.F.. Every time was quickly flushed out by the feeling of Eureka's hand.

"Renton." Eureka said beside him as they walked along. He quickly shook his head of absent thoughts and look over curiously.

"Yeah?" He responded. She was looking back at him with her vibrant violet eyes. The two slowed down as they continued to just look at each other. They had almost reached a complete stop until Eureka's cheeks turned a gentle red and she shook her head.

"Never mind." The smile on her face was more blissful. She cusped both arms around his one and then leaned against his shoulder. "I'm just glad." She gently said.

They continued down the hall until they had reached their room. Entering inside, Renton was again caught off guard from the size of the room. It wasn't as small as the one on the Gekko-Go. This one was encased with a pure moon lit white. There were two bed placed off to the side with the same angelical color. In the middle of the room was placed a very oriental white table. On top sat an empty flower pot. Renton frowned down at the unaccompanied pot. For reasons he couldn't understand, the pot always bothered him. He walked over towards his bed and knelt down to get his things, but they weren't there. Frowning he stood up and looked around the room. Under his bed is where he always kept his belongings, but now there was nothing but more useless and empty space.

"What's wrong Renton?" Eureka asked and followed his gaze towards his bed. He briefly glanced back at her.

"It's my things… they aren't here. I usually always keep my spare tools under the bed and what ever else I can't fit in my pouch." He scratched his head in irritation. A saddened look passed over Eureka's face.

"Renton, you must have left them on the Gekko-Go." She slowly told him from behind. He turned around and cocked his head in confusion

"Gekko-Go?" The word swirled around in his mind. It was slightly blurry, but it finally clicked. "Oh… that's right… when we were back on the Gekko-Go." Renton slightly dazed as the memory became thicker in his mind.

"Are you ok?" Eureka asked with concern and stepped up next to him. She slowly lifted her hand and placed it against his head, right where his head ach was forming. The soft touch pulled him back out of his thinking.

"Sorry, I'm just having a hard time remembering things lately." He closed his eyes and tenderly shook his head.

"Did you want to see a doctor?" Eureka dropped her hand and waited for a response. Renton took a second to think about it. He seriously thought that might be a good idea, but something was nagging him otherwise.

"No, I'll be ok." He smiled reassuringly and nodded. She looked him over carefully, deciding whether or not to believe him. Finally she smiled as well and took his hand. Gently she pulled him over to another table at the window. This table was just as oriental and white as the first, but its surface was glass. They both sat down and Renton felt that same feeling of plainness in the room. The room itself was oversized with what little it had to fill it. He felt himself missing something, something back on the

Gekko-Go. With a single sigh, he shifted his attention back out the window.

The outside was settled almost like a grand painting. They were flying above the grand ocean. High above hung the never ending sun's eternal glory of light. It reflected its rays directly into the sea's twisting and curving waves. The ocean's color was a dark emerald blue, but land revealed its shallow height as it neared closer to the continent. The land was crested with sandy curves. Beaches eventually faded into a large fuzzy green forest. Not too much farther beyond the massive forest were the grand humping mountains. Trees covered their surface, almost reflecting the same appearance of moss on an ocean rock. Renton attempted to see farther beyond that, but the horizon eventually faded into nothing but blue sky. Gently he tore his gaze away and centered on Eureka. She was completely mesmerized by the vision. Her eyes were dazed and a small tender smile rested in her lips. Renton looked her over, from her soft teal hair, to her shimmering green wings.

The worry of trying to remember what he had forgotten quickly dissipated. He continued to glance at her magnificent wings and their curved surface. While he drew himself into the vision of her wings, he noticed something odd about them. A dark purple fade seemed to be growing inside. It looked almost as if a liquid had been injected, but the flow of fluids was to slow for notice. The liquid looked like a dark purple cloud.

"Eureka, Renton." A voice suddenly called from the door. The two of them broke away and saw a man standing at the door. He politely bowed and motioned behind himself. "Rekina wishes you would prepare for the Xellien. There is a new threat at hand that must be demolished." He spoke in a professional tone.

"But I thought we were off duty?" Eureka said and looked between Renton and the man. The man sincerely bowed again.

"Rekina is apologetic, but this mission has unsuspected importance." He motioned once more behind him. Eureka tilted her down in disappointment. She slowly lifted her head back at Renton. He held gaze with her, and nodded with a confident smile. She smiled as well and stood up along with Renton.

"We'll prep the Xellien." Eureka said with a new sense of seriousness. The man smiled in relief and left. Eureka started for the door, but she stopped when a hand gripped her shoulder. Turning around she confusedly looked at Renton. "What is it Renton?" She asked and noticed a deep frown on his face. He was uncomfortably looking off to the side.

"Eureka, don't you feel as if something is wrong? At first it was my own problem, but as this week has recently passed by on this ship, and we've served under Rekina with full will… I've felt things slipping away. I don't like it Eureka, things are just disappearing, and I can't even remember who or what they are. A blank image in my mind forms, and even then I feel as if I'm looking at something deeply important, something that I have to remember." He finally lifted his eyes towards hers. His faced was covered with concern and worry. "Eureka, I feel like everything that makes me is just disappearing." Tightly he closed his eyes as the odd and aching feeling formed in his head again. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"Renton." She softly whispered, trying to share her strength to his. He gratefully took her arms and embraced her in his own. Once again they were connected, and he felt his thoughts being soothed by her voice.

"I think I might need to see Rekina." He started in a tired voice "I can't take these feelings of absence. I've tried to push them away constantly, but they just keep coming back." Eureka nodded her head and held him closer.

"I know Rekina will understand Renton." She responded with absolute surety. They pulled away from each other and locked eyes. All the negative feelings had dissipated within Renton.

"Let's go." A grin formed on his face and he nodded at the door. A new light suddenly lit inside Eureka's eyes as she saw his happiness. With everything having seemed settled, they left the room.

---

"Death of a Flower's Bloom?" Irik muttered back while he sat at Job's station in the control room. A week had passed since Holland had given him a second chance. It was hard at first, with every one hating him for just letting light reflect off his body. As time went on, there were only three people that had forgiven him and moved on. Those three were Jobs, Woz, and Holland himself.

"Miscalculation right there, try system link 34R." Jobs pointed down at one of the buttons. The room itself was tinted with the orange glow of the engine. Screens were placed just bellow the ceiling. On one side towards the large window sat a nicely placed dash board. Across this dashboard were all the controls that Irik needed to set the ship up for what was coming.

"Wait, where?" Irik asked and broke from his solid concentration. Jobs pointed down at one of the many screens. Curiously Irik shifted his head over and glanced at the flat surface. "Oh, I see, hold on." He shifted the seat to the side and continued using the controls. Even though his mind was at work, his thoughts continuously fell back towards the events of the passed week. Holland had announced that Irik was being given a second chance. To Irik's luck, Holland even explained what had happened with Irik and the U.F.. No one in the crew would even consider forgiveness, but Holland was the captain, so they did as they were told.

"Death of a Flower's Bloom?" Jobs inquisitively repeated what Irik had said. Irik found himself being pulled out from his deep thoughts. "And you made another mistake on system 23B." Jobs pointed down at another screen. Irik didn't stop the sigh of fatigue that fell from his mouth. He reached over and corrected the problem with a few swift clicks.

"Sorry Jobs, I'm just a little dazed." Irik let out a tired laugh and continued.

"And what about that book you were talking about?" Jobs curiously asked. Irik stopped to think about what he meant, and then it clicked.

"Oh, the story? It isn't a very long one. I can't really remember the specifics." He paused and thought about it for a second. "Strange, I can't really remember much of the story at all. But it did have to do with some one looking for a special flower that blooms under the worst conditions. It grows and some how manages to spread its seeds. The main character finally finds one and takes it out while it was still blooming. The flower was placed in freshly manmade soil, and it was given plenty of water. But just the next day, the flower died. Even though it was taken out of its bloom the flower should have still been able to live on in the better conditions. The one who picked the flower realized that the flower was put in a place that wasn't its own and it couldn't handle the new and already set conditions. The flower was practically forced into living, rather then going on its own." Irik had stopped work and looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"That is an odd story." Jobs shook his head and looked back down at the computer boards. "Where did you get it from?"

"My father gave the book to me before he had disappeared. He said that it was his favorite book. Although it is odd, it does have some very strange symbolism behind it." Irik shook his head and started work back up again. "I'm still figuring out what it all meant." Jobs chuckled and stood up from his chair.

"I'm going to check on Woz and see how he is doing in the command room. I have an odd feeling that he won't be pleased with all the changes, see yah." Irik gave a short wave goodbye as Jobs left the room. That was another thing Irik had noticed about Woz and Jobs. Both of them trusted him around the equipment. For him that was a great feeling of reassurance. Having lost the trust of the world, all he had left was them. He wasn't sure why Woz and Jobs trusted him so, but he wasn't going to waste another's trust again. This time he knew he had to make the right choice. His fingers quickened against the controls.

"I'm not going to pity myself or dwell on the trials of the world." He chuckled slightly "Besides, even the best conditions can be just as deadly."

---

"No…No…" Jake repeated in aggravation. He reached up and brushed back his solid black hair.

"Well what about the connections here and here?" The man indicated with the point of his finger. The new prototype was strapped up against a grand wall. It had been stripped of its protective shielding, revealing its bare skeleton body underneath. Even though it had once had protective shielding, it was obvious to see that the metallic shell had done little good. There were several gashes in the skeleton, revealing cords that were slick with a green sticky substance. Scientists placed themselves about the room. Each one took careful note, studying with great detail.

"That won't work, those connections were melted together. We'll have to scrap it and start on the next connection." Jake turned around and started to walk away.

"What, we're skipping another one?" The man responded in surprise. Jake nodded in tired impatience. "Where are you going?" Jake didn't bother to look back, he only continued walking.

"My shift it over, I'm taking a break." With a single wave Jake disappeared through a door, leaving the massive room behind. He gently rubbed his eyes and continued down the halls. He passed several doors, and eventually stopped at a single one. With out hesitation he reached for the door lock, but found himself stopping. For a second he paused and then lifted his hand and knocked on the door. No response would come. He sighed as he felt fatigue weigh down his tired body. His eyes were dry and irritated against the light that filled the halls.

"I should probably continue work on the new prototype." He muttered and continued staring at the door. With all hope gone he started to walk away, but just as he did so, the door opened.

"Jake?" Klera called his name questioningly. Jake instantly turned around with a forced smile.

"Hey Klera, I just wanted to check up on how you were doing." He said with a sudden burst of energy.

"Oh, I'm doing fine… why?" To Irik's surprise, Klera did seem to be doing fine. There was no fatigue in her face, no lines to reveal lack of sleep, and no sadness in her soft blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just thought." He started and scratched the back of his head in confusion. Just a few days before, she had been completely torn up, but now she seemed normal.

"Don't worry Jake, I know what you're thinking. Want to come in?" She stepped aside and motioned him into the room. Jake carefully studied the room as he stepped in. Her room was neatly ordered. The bed off to the side was pristinely made with a small lamp sharing its yellow glow on its fuzzy surface. There remained a single black table to the side of the wall. Upon it was a lamp, a currently being written book, and a pencil off to the side.

"What are you writing?" Jake asked and stepped towards the book.

"A journal, its something I've always wanted to do… I guess I've just never really gotten around to doing it." She smiled and sat down at the chair. Jake noticed the happy mood about her, and he finally gave up.

"Klera… I don't know how to ask this." He looked around the room in utter confusion. "But why are you so… well… alright?" His search stopped on her.

"Because I can't be that way Jake." She started with a gentle smile. Jake's frowned deepened further. "So many things are going wrong Jake, and I can't handle it." She admitted to what Jake had suspected, but she still continued to smile. "It started with the idea of this journal. Konner has no history left behind after his death, except for me and you." She slowly turned her attention to the book lying on the table. "I don't want him to be remembered in thoughts of sadness. I'm not sure why, but writing about him almost feels like he's alive again. I'm writing down all the situations we have ever been in, and I want them to be good ones. Although the time will come where I'll write down his weaknesses, and what he had to trail against, but I don't fear that." She turned her attention back to Jake. "I need your help Jake. Please help me write about him and also me." Jake didn't know what to say or think, she was different then before. "I want mine and Konner's child to remember us, even after I'm gone." Jake's eyes went wide.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked in a faulty voice, his eyes turned into a crazed fear.

"Jake, I'm not going to live much longer after my child's birth. I have a cancer that will kill me." Jake froze in cold shock and fell to his knees in weakness. Tears started to stream down his cheeks, softly landing on the floor bellow.

"Konner, Irik, and now you?" He searched the room with his eyes in hopelessness. His eyes were almost completely red when they settled back on her. "Klera, I can't continue anymore. You guys were the only friends I've had. You have no idea how Konner Influenced my life… how you both influenced my life." The tears became thicker as his voice started to crack. "Please… Please." He shoved his head into his hands, trying to banish the painful tears. Klera scrolled her chair forward and allowed Jake to rest his head in her lap.

"I'm sorry Jake." She whispered as her face broke together in a tight saddened frown. Streams of salty liquid quickly fell from her eyes. The fear and weakness of reality was breaking through to her again. Her voice now shook as she spoke. "I wish I didn't have to leave too."

---

"That might be it!" Irik yelled down from the 606. A set up of computers led several cords into the 606's mechanical body. Woz and Jobs nodded in confirmation and continued working with the computers.

"How's that?" Woz asked but didn't tare his eyes away from the screen. Irik sat in the 606's cockpit and looked over the dashboard.

"Yeah, the computer is testing out with a minor decrease in trappar." A smile tightened across Irik's face. "This is perfect, I think it might work." He yelled in new satisfaction.

"We'll have to take a few more tests, but this is definitely a good start." Jobs responded nonchalantly.

"Ok, I'm shutting off the power." Woz announced and quickly worked at the console. Irik stood up and climbed down from the massive 606.

"So far so good." Irik said with new high spirits. Neither Jobs nor Woz seemed enthused, but neither did they seemed negative, they were just casual. Irik wasn't surprised by their lack of reaction. But he did notice a very faint smile on Job's face.

"We'll continue this tomorrow then. I'm going to head back to the control room and set things up." Jobs waved and headed for the door.

"I'll be heading out to Irik. My station has been left a little dusty." Woz shared a glimpse of a friendly grin before leaving Irik to himself. The sound of a sigh echoed inside the stale hanger air. Irik slowly stepped across the floor and sat down at the computer setup. He carefully reached forward and laid a finger on the computer keyboard, but he immediately pulled it away. Work was done, and he knew that it was time to rest. His eyes followed along the millions of stringy cords into the 606. A small and unfamiliar feeling tipped at the edge of his mind. Frowning at the new sensation, he quickly tried to sum up what it was. Then for a brief second the realization grasped his mind and pushed it to a new level.

"Sympathy?" He whispered the word to himself. His head shook in unbelief. It was a feeling he knew existed and he knew he was very well capable of manifesting it into himself, but had never though he would experience it towards the 606. The 606 was leaning itself against the wall. Cords stabbing themselves into exposed points and lazily dragging back down towards the floor. Even though the cords had no bound on the 606, it still seemed to be captive and restained.

"You know… ummm… 606?" Irik started hesitantly. He truly had no idea what he was doing, but it had something to do for Eureka. The memory kept clicked in his thoughts like a new turning gear. His mind would constantly set itself one way, but now there was a new piece to turn the clog works in his ideas. LFOs, KLFs, and S.U.s were all just machines. But now that it gripped his head, they weren't just machines. These machines were actually other beings, with possible intelligence.

The idea kept piling on his thoughts, weighing him down with a new sense of guilt. He wondered how these beings lived while never moving. How would they live with out expressing their emotions? He was now taking a new look on ideas.

"606, what a plain name." Irik muttered and actually smiled lightly. "Eureka had named the Final Beginning the Xellien." He curiously said as if he were talking with another being, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that that was true. "I'll admit that I didn't understand it at first." He chuckled and stood up. Slowly he walked around the table and moved towards the 606. "I don't know why I think the way I do, or why I'm talking to myself." Carefully he sat down in the thousands of cords and glanced up at the 606. It's mass shadowed him from a bright light behind it.

"Its just interesting to think about it, I guess. So, I'll admit the truth to you. Technology within itself is my last connection to my father. I've developed so many talents from and through him. People constantly reminded me that he had a special way of thinking about the waves. It wasn't just energy in the air, but a physical substance of mind. He once explained to me that Trappar is like a liquid that can pour itself into thoughts." He laughed at his own idiocy. "I want to say that I don't know why I'm talking to you… but the fact is… I do." With the pull of relief, he fell back into the cords. "My father told me that the machines are alive, not in a metaphorical way, but literally true. Besides, you are connected directly to the Corrallian. And after meeting Eureka I knew it was true. Sometimes when you discover something, you pocket it away into a deep thought and never consider it again. This is what happened to me, and I'm not going to turn away that feeling anymore… not anymore." He whispered again in a slightly grim voice. "But still" Once again the comfy grin settled itself, "I know that I need to talk to something… and even though I don't understand it in any sense of mind, I know you're listening." His head fell to the side. "I don't understand everything, but I intend to. I owe it to three people to try and believe something knew. Konner is dead, Eureka and Renton are lost, and its all because of me. They brought something into the world that I might have killed… For them I have to believe and change the way I think." His eyes started to stare off into another place. "I'll loose myself as I had lost them." He closed his eyes and rested against the bumpy cords.

---

Renton walked down the hanger in a tight white suit that hugged his body irritably. He found himself constantly reaching up and pulling his collar to drain heat.

The hanger was incredibly massive. Three long square holes were settled in the whole. Each one was open, revealing the crashing ocean bellow. Unlike the rest of the ship, this room was a solid metallic silver, unmarked from paint. Three pairs of tracking lines led into the holes. At the beginning of the lines sat two KLFs and the Xellien in the middle. Renton glanced around to see hundreds of KLFs tracing the walls. They stood in silent wait, knowing their time would come for battle. Turning around he noticed the large command room. Although the place was scattered with U.F. troops, the command room was filled with scientists in their white lab coats. While soldiers were preparing for battle, they were up inside their safe room, pleasantly looking out over the operations.

"Hey Renton!" A pleasant voice called from behind. Blinking he turned around and started towards the Xellien. As he walked along he finally noticed the six strange units that were strapped to the ceiling, divided out just above the three holes. He knew them as the S.U.s. Ignoring them he quickly picked up his pace to a running speed and stopped once he reached the Xellien. Eureka stood up in the cockpit, patiently waiting for him. She wore a similar suit to his. Roughly he climbed up the Xellien and up to the cockpit.

"Systems are already and set to go." Eureka said when he hopped down into his seat.

"Do we know our mission yet?" Renton instantly jumped to the subject. Eureka shook her head and sat down. She reached over Renton and hit the button to close the door.

"She hasn't informed us, but apparently we'll be going alone." She leaned back in her seat and looked over at him. Renton sighed and shook his head, placing a finger where his head ach still settled. She gently reached up and felt the same place. The touch caused him to look up in slight surprise.

"I'll be alright." He smiled in absolute confidence, but some where in himself he felt the lie. Eureka frowned in concern and hesitantly lowered her hand. She carefully studied his smile and then grinned at him.

"Alright." She said in a cheery voice and took his hand. He took it and held onto its giving strength. Eureka sat closer to him and then leaned against his open shoulder. A kind smile tipped at his cheeks as he watched her. But weights of blind truth were quickly pulling them pack down. Renton lifted his left arm and examined it.

"Why can't I remember what this hand has made." He mouthed as to keep Eureka from hearing him. The feeling of Eureka suddenly jolted his realization of where he was. Tightly he clenched his fist and shut his eyes. Guilt was settling in the bowls of his stomach, while confusion was swelling in his mind, and he couldn't comprehend why.

"Xellien, you are clear for launch." A tough male voice announced from the comm.. Eureka's eyes shot open, and she slowly sat up in her seat.

"Ready Renton?" Eureka asked and curiously looked over at him. Renton didn't look back. He only nodded and gripped the controls. She reached for her own wheel, but stopped at the strange deep look of thought on his face. With one last glance at him, she gripped the controls.

The Xellien was pulled forward and launched out of the ship. It fell against the wind, splashing the green waves into a spray of sparkling emeralds.

"Xellien is set, we are heading to the desired destination. Permission to request mission info?" Eureka asked through the comm.. There was a long uncomfortable pause.

"Yes Eureka, of course you and Renton deserve to know the truth." Rekina's voice responded. Renton's head instantly jolted up in surprise. "You see, the Gekko-Go is heading our way from the north. They are currently on a mission, one that will jeopardize the U.F.'s design. I don't want you to destroy them… just disable their ship, force them to retreat." Her cool voice commanded through the comm.. Renton felt himself suddenly shaking, only slightly. He couldn't explain the powerful feeling inside him that was attempting to tell him something. It was burning at his stomach, but also freezing his arms.

"Yes Reki-" Renton forced his mouth shut, feeling the words coming through were not his own. "What is it they are attempting to do?" Renton gasped through a heaved breath. Eureka turned her head in confusion, finding his behavior oddly strange.

"They plan to halt a special operation that will end this war. Ending the war is something they do not want, and therefore they come to halt it." She responded with absolute simplicity. Renton opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again.

"Understood Rekina, we're on our way." Eureka said and shut off the comm.. She quickly shifted her full attention back to Renton, but also kept one hand to keep the Xellien sailing strait. "Renton, please don't hide your pain away from me again. We both remember what happened last time." Eureka frowned in deep concern as she spoke. He twisted his head away from her, and looked towards the sky. The sky itself was filled with a solid clean blue. He almost felt as if he could just pour his feelings into its vast emptiness, and rid himself of the foreign emotions. But just as he imagined this being possible, a gentle hand gripped his own. Immediately he held it as well and twisted his hand back. He felt himself constantly forgetting the greatest strength sitting right next to him… Eureka. Weakly he smiled and shook his head

"I'll admit that something is wrong Eureka… but we'll go on one last mission before I bring myself to Rekina." His voice was faulty and hesitant, but Eureka accepted that he meant what he said.

The Xellien continued to slide against the burning green waves, and off into the distance.

---

"Yes, they sent the Xellien… alone. They're following right into our trap. We're lucky they still think that I'm on their side." Irik announce in relief. Holland stepped forward and landed a satisfied hand on Irik's shoulder.

"Good, now its just matter of setting out the plan." Holland grinned, feeling new hopes arising in everything around him. They were sitting in the command room, along with the rest of the crew. Every one had settled their eyes uncomfortably on Irik, except for Jobs and Woz.

"If the weapon is aimed right, you'll have a total of five seconds to get the message you want." Irik said directly to Holland, who nodded back in confirmation.

"Spotting an unidentified unit coming in from the south." Gidjets voice suddenly burst from behind the group that surrounded Irik and Holland. They all turned around to see Gidjet quickly working at the controls. Small slick beads of sweat glided down her face.

"Xellien?" Holland asked and pressed his way through the group. Gidjet didn't respond immediately, she was still concentrating on the constantly fluctuating readings.

"Yes, and its coming in fast." She looked up at Holland with worried eyes. He gritted his teeth and looked down at the ground in thought.

"Alright, then lets just do what we were planning to. I know we haven't followed any procedures, so we'll just have to follow by words." He stopped and turned around towards Matthieu. "Matthieu, do you think you can handle this?" Holland questioned with complete seriousness. Matthieu bit his lower lip and looked back uncomfortable.

"I'm not sure Holland. Are you sure we can trust him?" Matthieu asked and motioned his head with a small tilt at Irik. All the emotion in Holland's face fell away, leaving only a stern seriousness. He stepped forward and stopped until his face was only inches away from Matthieu's. The setting left an uncomfortable aura in the area.

"We've made mistakes before Matthieu… even me. I'm still feeling the consequences for those mistakes. It took me years to even push the memories out of my mind, and forget what I've done. I was given a second chance, so why shouldn't he?" Holland asked, not d breaking his solid gaze with Matthieu. Matthieu averted his eyes and searched for something else to look at. But Holland pressed the question with his hard stare, and Matthieus head fell in defeat.

"Alright alright." Matthieu grumbled back defensively. He shook his head and nodded at Holland. "You're right Holland, I understand." Holland smiled in satisfaction and turned around.

"Alright… then let's get this started!" Holland shouted with a new burning excitement that seemed to fill the room with a new thriving energy. Every one responded with their own shout of excitement, and headed to their stations. Holland started to leave, but not before quickly glancing at Irik who was looking back at him. Irik's face was emitting the very word of gratitude towards Holland. He smiled and nodded before leaving the room.

---

"They're launching a unit." Renton calmly said as his eyes darted around the reading screens. His hand twitched when the model name spread itself across the screen, and he blinked violently. He read it over, trying to reprocess what it was saying, and he knew that it was the Devilfish.

"I know you're in there Renton and Eureka." Holland's firm, harsh voice came through the comm.. Renton shifted in his seat uncomfortably. The Devilfish continued to charge forward, undaunted by what ever forced pressed against it. Wind ripped apart in its charge, and fell back in a clattered confusion of twirls and swirls.

In the distance the Devilfish and Xellien looked like two sparkling specs, charging each other with swift but smooth speeds. The two smashed together, causing a huge shockwave that forced air to ripple out of the way. Metal snapped with loud crack in the space as the two continued to struggle.

"Eureka, don't you feel something is odd about all of this?" Holland started in an urging tone. "Renton… you know what happened to Eureka, why are you acting along?" He asked Renton with angered curiosity. The Devilfish lowered its leg and quickly brought it back up into the Xellien's chest. The Xellien lunged backwards and span in the air. With quick precision, it twisted its board and settled against the waves.

Renton gripped the controls, his breath heavy and dry. What Holland had said continued to reign his thoughts. He desperately wanted to know what Holland meant, but it wasn't coming.

"I…" Renton attempted to say, but it came out in a short stutter. Eureka shoved the controls forward. The Xellien charged and slammed against the Devilfish, temporarily stunning it. Raising its fist back the Xellien quickly brought its arm down and punched its fist into the Devilfish's shoulder.

"Renton, think about what is happening." Holland's voice came once again, but this time it seemed silent and muted. Renton suddenly noticed something strange about the cockpit. Everything was starting to go still. His hand went numb, along with the rest of his body. His mind was absent of thought, and he knew it. But even with thought there was nothing but odd peace. The battle that was taking place now seemed farther away. His arms continued to move, but they were not his to control.

---

"The system should be completely charged. Now is the time!" Irik shouted into the comm. system aboard the Gekko-Go.

"Got it, Matthieu, set out and aim at their cockpit. We only got one shot at this, and we don't know how stable the gun is going to be with the revamp." Holland said through the channel this time.

"I got it!" Matthieu responded in mild annoyance.

---

The Xellien and Devilfish continued to struggle with each other. They never seemed to break hold, but rather just continued to keep their tight grinding and trashing grips on each other. Renton felt himself fading in and out, as if he were attempting to keep himself awake, but his body was too tired to do so. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the fierce look on Eureka's face. Something felt as if it had dinged itself against his memory. He concentrated on the thought, but it only slipped from hands.

The Devilfish suddenly broke off from them and twisted to the side in a twirling motion. Emerging behind it was the 606 and its speeding orange mass. It immediately whipped itself right into the Xellien, knocking it backwards with a jerking forced. The 606 whipped forward and pointed a large gun at it. Green energy shot inwards at the tip and swirled together into a spinning sphere. The green energy's luminosity quickly became brighter until it passed the sun's very glory. The energy shook the tip of the gun until it all exploded into a chaotic swarming wave of trappar, ripping the gun apart from the force. It all twisted and turned around, forming a massive sphere. The bubble of green continued to writhe and twist, then it quickly enclose on itself.

Renton felt his hands instantly jolt with liveliness. His whole body shook at the familiar sensation of control. The seemingly thin wall that used to block his thoughts had disappeared. Everything poured itself into his mind in one sequence, Holland, Rekina, the battle, the mission, the P.O.F., the U.F., and Eureka. But one thing tipped at his mind, one that burned with an unbearable sensation. The whole feeling weighed down on his body as if he were deep in the ocean.

"Renton, Eureka, listen to me!" Holland was no longer muted through thick layers of thought. This time his words were loud and clear. "Don't loose yourselves in the Inverse Drive!" He urged with such desperation that Renton felt himself jerk. But he listened to Holland carefully, and implanted the word into his mind. "Don't let Konner die for nothing but a pointless war!" Renton slumped in his seat. Konner's name left a heavy force in his head. Now everything had become realized to him. Konner was dead, and it was in the attempt of saving him… and Eureka. Tears swelled in his eyes, but they were suppressed by the wavering feeling of fear.

Outside the bubble closed itself on them quicker then it had formed. Both the Devilfish and the 606 broke away, watching for what would happen next.

Renton's breath picked up faster then what was humanly safe. His eyes shot around the cockpit anxiously. He already felt the wall rebuilding itself around his mind. It was the Inverse Drive, and he knew it all to well this time. He couldn't believe the power it had against his thoughts. Carefully he looked upon the device as if it were a complete replication of his worst nightmare. Two things piled into his mind, each being something he knew he couldn't forget.

"The Inverse Drive… Konner." He let the images flash through his mind repeatedly. Sweat dribbled down his face and he gripped the control. Soft whispers started to call at the back of his mind, somewhere dark and cold. The voices were not his own, so he made an attempt to banish them from within him.

"Eureka, turn back now." He said in a calm and steady voice, but it was only a cover to hide what he was truly feeling.

"But Renton… the mission?" She turned to him in absolute surprise.

"EUREKA!" He yelled at her, causing her to flinch back in hurt surprise. His eyes were full with urgency. Hesitantly she took the controls. For a few seconds she glanced between the controls and Renton, but finally she twisted back and had the Xellien twist away. The Devilfish and 606 were left behind, just watching as the LFO sped away form them.

The Xellien neared the long stretched white ship. Light bounced off from the ships hall in long bright streaks, reflecting blindingly into their view ports.

"Renton…" Eureka asked and attempted to put a hand on his. But when her finger made contact, he jerked away instantly. "Renton, what's wrong?" She begged for the answer, but Renton ignored her and held his head.

"Xellien… why are you back?" A man's asked through the comm.. Eureka quickly glanced at the struggling Renton before answering.

"Mission failure, we're having problems." She said slowly, concentrating more on Renton rather then the comm..

"Alright… but…" The man's speech was faulty and confused. Several mutters of other people's voice wisped through the comm., but they were too quite to understand.

"Eureka, Renton, land immediately and meet me in my room." Rekina's icy voice came through the comm.. Renton flinched as her words entered his ears. Eureka watched in concern and worry. She wanted to help Renton, but even as she lifted her hand again, she saw his eyes look in fear. Closing her eyes she turned away and gripped the Xelliens steering wheel. Her face succumbed to a hurt expression, and she knew no care would come from Renton.

The Xellien surfed through the green waves and dipped down and back up into the large white ship. With a bulky motion the Xellien landed on the gear locks. Four U.F. soldiers ran forward with their guns ready. Carefully they waited and lowered their guns when both Renton and Eureka emerged. They both stepped down from the Xellien and started for the door. The worry and anxiousness on Renton's face had strangely disappeared, all that was left was an emotionless expression. Eureka walked along aside him. Her face was tilted to the side, looking away from him in pain. They continued down the long halls until they found themselves standing in front of the large doors again. When they slid to the side they both stepped in.

"Renton… Eureka?" Rekina's voice echoed as they move away from the door. Neither stopped until they were both standing before the large white encrusted throne. Rekina shifted her eyes between the two in great curiosity.

"What happened?" She asked and leaned back in her seat. Neither reacted immediately, but both kept their heads pointed at the ground.

"I don't know." Eureka silently responded. Rekina instantly shifted her head at the speaker.

"Odd answer." Rekina commented and shifted her weight in her seat.

"I do." Renton said, but didn't lift his head. Cocking an eyebrow, Rekina twisted her head towards him.

"Then please tell us of your knowledge." She beckoned him ominously.

"I stumbled upon the truth." He responded and finally lifted his head up at her. His face was completely emerged in fierce hate. Rekina's eyes flashed wide, but they were quickly shifted to a glare.

"What truth would that be?" She asked, not making a ting of movement.

"The one that the lies have been hiding this whole time… the lies that you produced." Renton responded while shaking slightly. Eureka lifted her head in surprise. Rekina lifted her hand and beckoned something from behind them. "I remember Konner…" He started with a renewed energy. His mouth shot open again, but it was quickly closed when two men rushed up from behind and slammed their knees into his stomach. He fell to the ground, desperately gasping for air.

"Disappointing." Rekina whispered in a cool voice. The word caught Eureka's ears, but she was too distracted at the fallen Renton. She rushed forward to help him, but two men gripped her and held her in place.

"Why did you do that?" She screamed and tried with all her strength to help him. Her head jolted towards Rekina, searching for some kind of answer. Rekina only looked back with cold eyes.

"It had to be done to fix a minor problem… he'll be alright." Rekina turned her eyes back to him. "Take him down to one of the personal cells." She leaned back in her seat and turned her attention to some where else. Eureka watched in utter confusion. She wanted to do something for Renton, anything for him. But no matter how hard she struggled against the bonds of the men, she could not move.

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(( Hey guys, I love to read reviews. It helps to hear your opinion on my story. So I can see what I might need to fix, or what I'm doing right. But thanks for reading.))


	16. Chapter 16: Corrupted

**Chapter Sixteen: Corrupted**

The cell was sleekly plated and polished. Renton sat against the wall, refusing to sit in the bed to the side. Even though the bed was solid metal, it was still tempting at times. A soft blue tint settled itself against the room. And a soft hum filled its spaces, due to the white lights that hung on the ceiling. It was all too formal, to set, and self made.

Renton hadn't slept sense yesterday, it scared him to think that he might not wake up as the same person. His mind lulled with odd thoughts, anything to get his mind away from what the inverse drive was attempting to shove in.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you in here." A male voice came from outside the cell. Another voice responded to it. This one was sweater and smoother then the other, he knew who it was.

"In less you have a…" The man paused, leaving the rooming in utter silence. Finally a chuckle emitted itself. "Alright then, make it quick then. I wonder if I should get this checked." He chuckled. Just after the man finished, the sound of steps followed towards Renton's cell.

"Renton, it's me Eureka." She spoke through the bars in a voice that hammered against mind. He wanted to listen and answer, but he knew that was suicide. Eureka watched uncomfortably, her eyes shaded with sadness. She lifted her hand and attempted to reach out to him, but he flinched at the site of it and backed away. She pulled her hand back and watched his feared expression in absolute pain. Her became moist before she stood up.

"I'll be back with dinner…" She whispered and left the room. Renton gripped his head tightly. There were so many things swirling about in his mind. He knew that he had just hurt Eureka, but if he had made contact with her, he knew he would have put himself in a trap. Something about Eureka was pulling him into the inverse drive's effects. Every time he thought about her, he could feel the effects pressing against his mind.

"Tough luck Ret." The same male voice said from above. Renton lifted his head, still lost in swerving thoughts. It was the same man from before, but he was acting strangely. An odd smile wrapped itself around his face. He moved behind the table, hit a few buttons, and then pulled out a small card. With out hesitation the man moved forward and slid the card through the lock on his cell. The door instantly slid to the side. Renton flinched in surprised, debating whether or not this was good or bad. But the man's smile was rather calm and knowing, even a little cocky.

"Look, we don't have much time. We have about ten minutes to get out of here and jump ship." He offered his hand to help Renton up, and Renton accepted the help. Glancing at the man's face, he saw that he looked to be in his twenties. His hair was a brown mixed strands of blond. They started for the door, but Renton stopped, realizing that this was happening all to fast.

"Wait…" Renton started, but paused as he shifted from his past thoughts to the now. "Who are you?" He asked and glanced up at the man with fatigued confusion. The man glanced down at Renton and shook his head.

"You haven't slept or ate have you?" He asked and moved over to the door. "I'm a special operative for the P.O.F., the best they've got actually." A tidbit of pride was jumped on the last comment. Renton frowned, shaking his head in obliviousness. "My name is Artisen, I'm a personal operative for commander Jeurgens." He turned around and saluted. After he did so he reached for the door and cautiously peeked out. After a moment of silence, he pulled his head back in and looked over Renton.

"The nearest exit isn't too far away, so we should be alright for the most part. Ummm.." He stopped and glanced around the room. "There isn't anything we need here, so we should be alright. Understand that once we leave this room, I'll have to treat you as a prisoner." He stared until Renton gave a clear nod of acknowledgement. With a look of satisfaction, Artisen gripped Renton and shoved him out the door. Renton stumbled and almost slammed against the wall, but he caught himself.

"Don't worry Mr. Renton, just a simple little transfer." Artisen smirked. He tightly gripped Renton's shoulder, forcing him to walk along side him. Renton felt his head spinning in confusion. His steps were rubbery as if his feet were about to give out from under him.

As they walked along there were a few people who watched in confusion. They all seemed undecided, but when they noticed Artisen, they were ignored. Artisen tightly pulled Renton down a thinner hall. The hall didn't drag on for very long. They finally reached a small door with big bright letters reading "Emergency Exit".

"Alright, sorry for the act." Artisen chuckled and removed his hand from Renton's shoulder.

"Wait… what is going on?" Renton asked in growing irritation. Artisen turned around and glanced down the hall. Once he was satisfied, he turned back around and opened the door. Behind it revealed a long stretch of stairs tightly cramped together.

"As I said, I'm Artisen, a special operative." Artisen replied simply and motioned Renton to go down. Renton closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Then why are you here… isn't getting me out a little risky? What about Eureka?" He gritted his teeth as he spoke, realizing more and more reasons why he should stay behind, and then why he should leave. Artisen sighed, his face drained of its sarcastic nature.

"Look Renton, this isn't the time to be deciding this. We have about to minutes to get you out of here. I've heard a lot of things around here, and I'm starting to understand what Rekina is planning." Artisen said, and Renton lifted his head at the name. "I cant explain everything right here, but I can tell you that its important to get this information to the Gekko-go and P.O.F.. And it's also important to get you out of here, because you're needed else where." He seemed to be urging, but his face remained calm and serious. Renton glanced up at the peculiar expression. Finally after a moment had passed, Renton nodded started down the stairs.

"Let's go." He muttered and sped up. Artisen sighed in relief and quickly followed. They ran down the dimly lit stair way until they reached another door. Renton gripped the door handle and pulled it open. Light burst from the door crack, blinding Renton for a few brief seconds. Artisen gently pushed him forward into the outside.

"That was closer then you think Ret." Artisen said and patted Renton on the back. Just a few seconds passed until a sudden burst of wind pushed them both forward. Renton toppled head first, but a strong hand gripped his collar and set him strait. He stood up and turned around to see the great white ship lifting into the sky. A brief few feelings crossed through his mind. Eureka was on the ship, and once again, she was being pulled away from him. But at the same time he felt relieved. A hard press of emotions had constantly been pressing his mind, but now they had all just disappeared. He felt free, and his head felt strangely light. But even with this refreshing feeling, he felt guilty.

"I… what." Renton muttered at the attempt to say something clearly. His mind was completely unbound, and his thoughts were working on three different levels. He wasn't sure what to say, or what to ask… yet he had so many questions,

"What is it Ret?" Artisen asked and turned his attention from the white ship to Renton. Renton rubbed his forehead, pausing to think.

"Why do you keep calling me Ret?" He asked and looked up with confusion. Artisen frowned and nodded in compliance.

"Well, I like to hand out nick names… to me… you just don't seem like a Ren, or Ron… but Ret strangely… well…. Works." He oddly and simply smiled. "By the way, take off that white suit. Out here that will stand out like a burning shipwreck in the middle of the night." He waved at Renton's white suit in slight disgust. "Doesn't really fit your style any way." Renton unzipped his suit and pulled it off. Underneath he wore a black t-shirt with dark green pants.

"Where are we going, is there a P.O.F. ship waiting for us?" Renton asked, glancing around to see where they were. He just barely noticed that they were in a large landing air port. A fence traced itself along the airports boundaries, seemingly dragging on forever at the sure massive size of the area. A small cluster of buildings led off to the side, and behind that lied a grand command center. Off to the side of the buildings he noticed several other various sized buildings.

"Heh, yeah, wouldn't that be great?" Artisen muttered sarcastically and slipped on a pair of black gloves. "We're practically in the middle of U.F. territory. We won't even be able to make contact with the P.O.F for a long while. And we can't make radio contact either, to dangerous and risky. Once they noticed you're gone they're going to tap any and every radio frequency they can. We'll also have to disguise you a little better then what you've got now… have you ever pictured yourself as a blond or black haired?" Artisen asked and squinted his eyes at the top of Renton's head.

"We don't have any connection to the P.O.F.?" Renton asked in growing horror. Artisen shrugged and nodded.

"Afraid so Ret, look to your right." Renton did so and saw something large stretching up into the sky. It was the grand tower that stretched all the way into space. It surprised him that it was still there, even after all that had happened.

"We're in a city right?" Renton asked with a slight wisp of deep thought.

"Exactly, and we have to go now. I use to have special equipment that could surpass any detection of the U.F.. But it was to hard to take along, so I set it to basically self destruct in about…" He paused and quickly glanced at a watch on his wrist " thirty to forty minutes about." With that he started off across the grand air port.

"So we're stuck here?" Renton questioned. Artisen shook his head and smiled.

"No one's ever stuck Ret, some just refuse or can't see the clear path to take… Right now that is doing this on foot. I imagine we can walk into the city, grab a couple of boards, and then make our way out of U.F. territory." He smiled and continued to walk, seeming to already have planned this out.

"Will some one be waiting for us out there?" Renton asked and quickly ran up beside him.

"Nope, I wasn't even planning to get you off the ship. I just barely figured out that the inverse drive was no longer working on you when they put me on duty." He chuckled and surveyed the area once more as they walked. "There are some things you need to know Renton, but at the moment, I'd rather wait till we're out of city limits." Once he finished, silence took hold and they continued to walk. As they did so, Renton couldn't help but find the man slightly strange.

Renton was surprised at how easily they made it out of the airport. No one stopped them or asked questions. It was lucky for him that Artisen decided to keep his uniform until they got out of the city. They both made their way through the city. The large command center stood tall, shadowing a quarter of everything with its large mass. As they walked, Renton started to feel an odd feeling of absence. Something was missing from him, and he knew what.

They passed several buildings, all different in size and shape. But each one had an appearance of old age. Renton assumed that they were in the housing district of the city. But there was little life to be seen, and the houses seemed cold and empty. Eventually as they went along they finally reached a livelier part of the city. This place was packed with people. The loud hum of crowded voices quickly filled Renton's ears as they turned the corner. After a long time of walking, they had finally reached the market place.

"Alright then, this is it." Artisen smiled brightly and rubbed his hands together.

"What is it that we are planning to get?" Renton asked and glanced around at the hundreds of shifting people.

"First we'll need some back packs, some food supplies, other various survival items, sleeping bags, and then reffers." He nodded in agreement to himself. Swiftly he stepped forward and into the crowd. Renton sighed and quickly ran to catch up.

A few hours had passed, hours that passed rather quickly. He wasn't if it was the new sense of freedom from the inverse drive, or the fact that Artisen was a perfectionist dealer. The man some how managed to squeeze a good deal out of any seller. Even though some of the dealers were stubborn, he some how managed to make the whole situation interesting watch.

Renton sighed as they walked along the withering road. They were now far out from the city limits. The city was slowly growing smaller, and the road hadn't changed in size or shape. All the road held was a drawing path that continued to drag on, pulling them along with it. Grass surrounded them in stretching fields, holding a serine color of bright green. The fields continued until they met with the mountains that surrounded them.

"We're in this valley, and the way out of U.F. territory is out through there?" Renton asked and waved his hand at the small gap between the mountains. The road appeared to drag on in that direction, so he assumed so.

"Afraid not Ret, its going to be a long time till we are out of U.F. territory." Artisen responded through a half laugh. "That's why we purchased the boards, but they won't be usable until we're well out of U.F. site... which is possibly past those mountains." He finished and they continued to walk along the road. Silence followed along, filling everything around them except for the wind that bristled the grass.

"Artisen..." Renton started in lack of confidence. Artisen glanced over at him curiously.

"What?" He asked and patiently waited for the answer.

"What is that you meant with... Me being needed off the ship?" Renton asked, staring at him. Artisen generally sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets. A short while passed until he nodded to himself and looked up.

"Well Ret, I was planning to tell you that. I'm not really sure whether or not Eureka is aware. But in all honesty, it doesn't matter. Ret, they were using her to get to you." He paused and stopped. Renton didn't seem surprised at all, but instead seemed grim. He new that Eureka had an effect on him, but it never breached his understanding as to why. Eureka was the one person that he knew he could count on... but now even she was threat.

"Well." He finally started up again "I was tapping into their contacts, and I dropped in on a few conversations... which weren't very easy." He joked in a half sarcastic and half serious way. "Apparently you weren't in the initial plans Renton. All they wanted was the Xellien... and Eureka. But over the month they unlocked the Xelliens full capability with the inverse drive. They continued to do several tests with her... and..." He stopped to think and consider something. "They started to find something odd in the testing. They had compared logs with the Xellien before they captured her, and after. You see Ret, when they captured her, they continued to press her mind with foreign influences. They convinced her to believe lies and other false truths. Once she seemed fully convinced, they sent her out on another test... but it was failed. The Xellien always had the Inverse Drive built in." Artisen stopped once again and shook his head in anger. "The Xellien isn't like an S.U., Ret. This thing is completely different... it was intended for a coralian." Renton's head shot up in surprise.

"What... how? We had disappeared for a year, so why would they continue work with a coralian intended model?" Renton asked and took an urging step forward. Artisen lifted to his head in the sky, loosing himself in some thought.

"You didn't think they would stop with Anemone, did you?" Artisen challenged with mellowed curiosity. Renton responded with a short shake of the head. "Yes, it is true. They had plans to insert another human slash coralian into the cock-pit. When Eureka popped up... well... their plans had become perfect. The S.U. advance type, or I mean the Xellien, was designed for two because they would plop in two half coralians. They hoped this would satisfy the LFO itself, and the inverse drive. Some options were designed only to be activated through coralian connection." They stood in the middle of the road, Artisen's voice drifting off into the empty fields. Renton stood there, sucking every word in with great thought and consideration, but still only barely grasping the words. He couldn't believe the U.F. had been planning something this big all along. "This was the design of the Xellien, and that was the design of everything. They had everything set out, all they needed was two half coralians. Eureka popped up again, a full breed Coralian. She was everything they could have hoped for, so they went after her immediately. This drags me back to what I was saying before, where they were testing the Xellien with Eureka. All the tests were failing. She was unenthused and lifeless at the act. The Xellien's actions were sluggish and sloppy. She seemed to be resisting with a single strong wave of emotion. The scientist did everything they could think of to increase her performance, but even so, it didn't work. Finally Rekina stepped in and sat down with Eureka. This I actually heard from a conversation with a group of scientists." He quickly added in that pointless bit of information. "When Eureka came out, the plan to capture you was initiated... and well, here you are. Once you were onboard the Xellien, they immediately made an attempt to use the inverse drive on you. To their surprise, it worked like charm. But there was another thing that caught their notice, the fact that it took both of you for it to work. Eureka didn't comply too the inverse drive until she was guaranteed Renton, and you worked right away. This happened all too strangely, so they decided to do some more tests. They monitored your brain waves and the inverse drive wave emitter. They noticed that when you were away from Eureka, the Inverse Drive had less effect on you, but when she was around, it worked better then ever. So that was it, they needed both of you to get what they wanted… a working advanced S.U. unit, the Xellien." He finally finished. Renton didn't respond, he wasn't even sure what to say.

The world suddenly seemed slightly darker. He thought he could trust people, but now he wasn't sure there were as many he could trust. All he had was the Xellien, Gekko-Go, and at the moment, Artisen. The U.F. had slowly been unraveling their plan through him and Eureka. He couldn't tare it from his mind that he was being used. Eureka was just another tool to be tossed around in the U.F.'s hands. The very thought made the world darker around him. His idea of the world was settled, but now even that was shattered once again. More then ever did he wish he could have Eureka with him, so that he could comfort her in his arms. But the only comfort sought in his surroundings was the silent air. It repeatedly passed through his mind. He wanted to know how much pain he had caused Eureka, how alone she would be, or that she didn't even know that her thoughts weren't her own. Suddenly a new emotion breached into his thoughts. He clenched his teeth and fists. His head shot up as his face tightened in fierce anger, but then he hit something hard.

"Geh." He muttered and fell against the hard ground. He shook his head, realizing that the place he was in was nigh pitch dark. The only light they had was a small crack in the ceiling above them, which only shared a dim glance of an already darkening sky. Gently he rubbed his head and spotted a dark figure standing in front of him.

"Looks like this will be a good spot." Artisen's voice emitted from the figure. Renton shook his head, finding himself confused and oblivious to where he was. Finally it reassembled itself in his memory that he was following Artisen, but he couldn't recollect as to how they got here.

"Where are we?" He asked and stood up in the dim area.

"Geez, where have you been the past three hours?" Artisen chuckled playfully and set his back pack on the ground. He carefully fumbled through it and pulled out a smaller object. At the sound of a click, the room was filled in a yellowish light. The light illuminated the walls in a relaxing still color. Renton sat down and slipped off his back pack. "This is a cave that I spotted just off to the side of the road we're taking." He reached into his back pack, this time pulling out a sleeping bag.

"Oh…" Renton muttered and pulled out his own sleeping bag.

"This light has limited energy, and I'm not sure how long it will take us to reach the next city. After I finish a few things, it's going off." Artisen told him and then slipped into his sleeping bag. He scooted up against the wall and pulled a few more things out of his back pack, a pencil and note book. Renton didn't bother to ask why, he was setting himself up for a sleepless night. Everything that had happened was overwhelming, pushing at every defense he had. He settled himself against the wall as well, staring up at the crack in the ceiling. Just through the small opening he could see a group of stars. It now crossed his mind that he was missing his greatest strength of all… Eureka.

Another hour passed, time just slipping away like thin threads. The electric lamp still covered the room in light, and Artisen was still sitting up against the wall, writing to himself. Renton eyes were half open. He wondered if he had fallen asleep at all, or if he was asleep already. But being asleep seemed unlikely, sense he knew he would see her. Every image he could summon of her was already swimming around in his mind, so he knew she would end up in his dreams. But what scared him is what he would see of her. He didn't want to see her in pain or under the control of U.F.. His imagination only amplified his fears of what nightmare awaited him.

"Not sleep yet, eh?" Artisen asked, not taking his eyes from the note book. Renton slowly blinked and looked over at him. "What could possibly keep you awake?" His question peeked at Renton's nerves. More then ever he felt like being alone, and to top it off, he was just asked the last question he wanted to answer. But the more he wondered on it, the more he felt he couldn't keep it in. His fatigue and mixed mind let the words drift from his lips.

"Her." He whispered and turned his eyes away.

"Eureka you mean?" Artisen continued to press. Renton decided not to fight it, so he nodded. "Interesting, what is it about her that would keep you awake?" Renton frowned at the new question, finding it a pretty stupid one.

"Because…" He started and then closed his eyes, shaking his head gently. Artisen finally set down his note book and sighed in between a yawn.

"Because… hmmm, I've heard that kind of answer from my peers." He reached over and took the lamp. "I've heard about the story between you and Eureka, even picked up on a rayout. I imagine it gets pretty cold when you're lonely." He said it so simply that Renton gritted his teeth and shoved his head in Artisen's direction.

"Why do you say it like that?" He asked in a sudden burst of fury. Artisen didn't react at all, in fact, he only continued to gaze at the crack in the ceiling.

"You're being selfish Renton." He responded and lied down in his sleeping bag. Renton pulled his head back in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't you stop thinking about your own emotions, and try thinking about how to help Eureka… the one who is still captured." Renton's eyes went wide in surprise.

"But she isn't here, don't you know what its like to…. To…. But when I close my eyes… I can see her, and she is in pain. I want to help her, but I fear… but fear." He felt himself slowly realizing something as he stumbled over his words.

"I don't want to sound harsh Ret." Artisen lifted his head, a strange solid seriousness within it. "But understand what I mean here. I've made a few mistakes, because I've wandered on my own pathetic emotions. Because of me a lot of things happened that shouldn't have. I'm not going to let you make the same stupid mistake. You love Eureka right?" His voice suddenly became stronger and more pressing. Renton just stared, not taking his eyes away, but also being unable to speak. "Why should you remember her in fear? Why should you dwell on your own emotions? You should try to be grateful… and start thinking about how you're going to save Eureka." His eyes had now become fierce and harsh against him. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence that settled into the room. Renton suddenly remembered so many things that had happened. He remembered the time when she had become the command cluster. And the whole month he had wasted in selfish thoughts of himself and his own sadness. He suddenly wondered if during those times of his sadness if he was really caring for Eureka… or disrespecting her.

Artisen tightly closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry." He said in a new sign of guilt. Carefully he leaned back down against the hard ground. "That was out of place for me… I'm such a hypocrite. A stranger shouldn't press on some one else's emotions when he hardly knows the other. That was out of place, I apologize." With that, Artisen went silent. Renton still sat with his eyes wide and dry. Guilt was once again piling in his system as he now realized his own stupidity.

"You're right." Renton said at last, breaking the silence. His voice was shaking in his through lips, and his lids tingled with the warmth of tears. "I'm such an idiot… I did it again… I've been doing it for ever and now I only realized it. Even back on the Gekko-Go, before the second summer love. Eureka was inside the command cluster, and I sat there crying to myself." His teeth tightly clenched together. "Dang it." He muttered and leaned against the wall.

"Then learn from your mistakes now… because you're doing it again." Artisen plainly replied, giving no plead of sympathy. Renton's eyes shot wide again, but they quickly closed.

"Thank you Artisen, you're right." He replied in a calmer tone, swallowing the pain inside him. He was forgetting again, and he needed to grow stronger. Slowly he leaned back in his sleeping bag, finally being able to accept the desire for sleep. At that moment he was thankful more then ever to Artisen.

"No prob Ret. I just get tired of looking at mistakes that remind me of my own. Good night though." The light switched off when he finished. Renton closed his eyes, wondering why Artisen was so open with him. He just had the strangest conversation with him, hardly holding back the truth.. There was one question that now popped in his mind. He wanted to know who Artisen truly was, and why he acts the way he does. But as this question continued to grow, it was flooded out by thoughts of Eureka and the need for sleep. So he quickly decided to ask tomorrow when his mind would finally be clear of distracting emotions.

---

"You sure it's down this road?" A tall man with blonde hair asked. The elderly man shook his head in tired irritation. Off to the side a younger boy with sleek black hair stood, waiting impatiently.

"Yes I'm positive." The elderly man confirmed for the twentieth time. The blonde haired man tiredly shook his head.

"Dang, that's at least another day's ride… even on the boards. At this rate we'll." He stopped in mid sentence and turned around. The elder man frowned curiously at him.

"Are you sure you haven't been by here before?" The elder man asked. The blonde haired man turned back and shared an odd smile, one that revealed he knew something and he was on the verge of saying it.

"Nope." He replied and turned back, "Come on, let's go." He suddenly ran forward in a rush of extreme speed. The other boy quickly turned and followed. They both in unison jumped up and landed on their boards, spraying a sparkling stream behind them.

"Sorry about that Ret, I was just so sure." The blonde haired man innocently shrugged as they surfed away.

"It's alright, three days and we're still stranded within U.F. territory. Where are we headed off to now? My hair is itching like crazy. I think I might be allergic to the dye." Renton reached up and vigorously scratched his dark black hair. Artisen laughed and shook his head.

"Yeah well, hopefully we'll be out of this soon. If we can make it strait through this city… yeah… then we could make it to a secure zone." Artisen nodded to himself and swerved his board back and forth.

"Alright, I just hope we can make it through soon. The U.F. has been searching for us for days. I even saw another wanted sign… with our faces." He added as they sailed along.

"Well, we should be able to make it through this alright. It's only about another day's journey… of course… I said that a day ago." He chuckled once again and pushed his board forward.

The stream of trapar sparkled behind them and dimmed into a faded nothing. They crossed through an empty land of dirt and rocks. Everything was mostly flat, except for an occasional rising hill. The sun seared the ground with a burning heat. Its rays baked the area, giving off a wavy reflection in the distance. But even through the condition, they continued on. The sun slowly fell from above and settled back down on their level.

"You know Ret, the air is oddly pure here." Artisen commented as they sailed along. Renton nodded in agreement and took another sip from a bottle.

"It reminds me of when I was on the road…" Renton said so only he himself could here.

"We should have plenty of water until the next stop. Do you want to rest for the night or just keep going?" Artisen asked and looked over in his direction. Renton paused for a moment while considering the options.

"I think so." He said at last and nodded. Artisen shared his own nod of agreement and yawned. Renton cautiously glanced in his direction. He had been wanting to ask Artisen a question for a long time, to get to know who he really was. But every time the question found its way into his mind, he never asked. This time the moment arose again, and this time he would seize it.

"Artisen?" Renton called and looked down the horizon.

"Yeah Ret?" Artisen replied in his usual simplistic tone.

"What did you do before the P.O.F. was founded? Did you have some type of previous job." He asked with no apparent reason. Artisen raised his browse in calm surprise, only finding the question slightly odd.

"Well…" He trailed softly and scratched his cheek. "I was apart of the U.F…. as a spy." His tone turned single and slightly unenthused.

"So you were a spy before the U.F." Renton whispered in calm disappointment.

"Yup, back when I'd like to think that I was young and naïve." He chuckled and shook his head, "I was an idiot. Which by the way, I'm twenty six." He added with a small wave of the hand. Renton nodded and continued to surf on. He wasn't really sure how to react to the fact that Artisen was once a U.F. spy, but it didn't seem fair for him to think so. He knew full well that people changed, and he wasn't sure what kind of person Artisen really was. It seemed like a question too personal to ask, so he threw it from his mind.

They continued to fly down the road. Slowly the sun fell bellow the horizon, allowing the night to show off its silent stars. As they surfed along the only sound that could be heard was the steaming exhaust of their boards. The sound was strangely soothing, having a rhythm that kept a flowing rhythm. Soothingly the moon moved to barely bellow the sky's peek. Its shining glow left a blue cast on the grounds around them. Renton couldn't help but find himself drifting into thoughts of Eureka. Her wings almost seemed like a beacon of hope in his thoughts. Already he could see a clear picture of them upon the crystal hill.

Another hour passed when an odd color started to mask the atmosphere. The starts slowly faded, being dimmed out by a yellowish haze. Renton frowned in curious confusion, wondering what was the cause of the strange phenomenon. They barely reached the tip of a hill when they were revealed to an onslaught of lights and glows. A city was steadily placed in the ground in front of them. Its sheer blast of light lit the ground a few miles off from its limits.

"Who would have thought there'd be a state city here… I completely forgot about this place." Artisen stood amused as he spoke. Renton reached up and rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the new level of brightness.

"Are we going there?" Renton asked and looked over at Artisen. Artisen stopped and pondered the question for a few brief moments.

"I think we should stop here and grab something to eat. We also might want to rest for an hour or so." He slowly smiled and nodded in agreement. Renton didn't hold back his sigh of relief as he nodded, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Good, my back is killing me." He said in essence of drowsy joy. Artisen couldn't help but smile as they shot off towards the city.

The city was livelier then the others that they had been to. People walked across the streets, scattered about with random activities. They passed by a small park that seemed to be holding some kind of competition. Several people were using their reffing boards, pulling off some crazy moves. Renton carefully studied their flow, and decided that they weren't as impressive as every one was making them out to be. Every move they made was nothing compared to the Gekko-State crew.

They continued surfing down the city. No one was distracted at the two reffing across casually. There were even a few others that were reffing along to some other destination. The flow of trapar was stronger than it was in most cities. People were commonly taking advantage of its quantity. Renton smirked, he knew what it was like to live in a lifeless city… where no boards could touch the smooth fabric of trapar's giving threads.

"There looks like a good place." Artisen said and pointed over at a little small shop. It was tucked between other shops of the same size. They had reffed down a very lively street, people packed into the side walk even though it was late at night. Lights from the buildings lit up the area with a bright solid white. It all had an atmosphere of movement and speed, where there was little time to stop and consider life's common trials. In the end it bothered Renton.

They moved down the street and maneuvered around a few people into the shop. The shop itself was incredibly oriental and quant. Red and gold traced the walls with symbolic inscriptions. Several bulb lights hung from the ceilings, encased in a cramped red fabric.

Finally they sat themselves down on a simple mat placed next to a small table.

"So we eat, rest, and go?" Renton asked as they waited for service. He noticed that there was only a small group of people sitting down on the other side of the room. They all had their backs turned, laughing about some strange subject.

"Yeah, that is the plan for now." Artisen responded and fell back into a lying position.

"Two hours of rest? My eyes feel so heavy." He muttered and fell back as well.

"Welcome to the Flaming Enchantress, what would you like?" A female voice caused both of them to instantly sit up.

"Well… we would like a…" Artisen blinked several times and glanced around the table. His eyes landed on the menu and he took it. Renton followed the same pursuit with the spare menu.

"I'll take two egg rolls." Renton politely asked and set his menu back down. He didn't feel like thinking, so he took the first thing he saw on the list.

"I'll take some rice rolls… and that'll be all." Artisen asked and set the menu back down on the table. The women nodded graciously and left. "You know… I'm actually not that hungry." Artisen laughed gently and shook his head.

"I'm ju-" Renton started but was cut off by another's voice.

"Hey there good men, do you have a spare five we could borrow." A voice asked with casual courtesy. Artisen turned in his seat. An odd silence suddenly filled the room. Renton frowned and turned to see the man pointing a pistol directly at Artisen's head. This man was smiling with smirked pleasure.

"Please Artisen, I've known your face too long. Though I'm surprised that you would bring him to such a lively city." He said and glanced at Renton.

"Generally enough Jack." Artisen replied with fiercely cold eyes. The other man gritted his teeth and barely managed to keep his smirk.

"Well, it was your choice to join the P.O.F.. I told you that doing so would lead to your death… Well look where we are now. We have Renton, and that it all we need."

"Are you so su-" Artisen started but he pulled the trigger. Artisen flinched to the side and smacked the gun away. The tip exploded, sending a bullet right through the table's wooden surface. Wood splitters shot out in all directions. The people from the side of the room stood up, revealing themselves as U.F. soldiers. Jack raised his gun again, but Artisen quickly raised both of his legs and shoved them into his chest. The man toppled back, gasping for air as he went. Renton stood up and started for the door. But as he picked up speed, Artisen was caught out of the corner his of ye. He noticed him struggling to his feet. With out hesitation he turned around and pulled him to his feet.

"Thanks." He muttered right as they shot out the door. They both scrambled down the street and turned into the crack between two buildings. The jumbled sounds of the crowds became muffled as they drew deeper in. After a few more moment of running, they finally decided to stop.

"Dang it." Artisen turned and slammed his fist against the wall. "I'd say in a minute or two this city will be swarming with U.F. soldiers, ships, KLFs…" He leaned against the wall and slumped down to the floor. Renton looked down either way and then back down to Artisen

"No, we can't stop now. More then ever do we need to keep moving." Renton urged and motioned his hands to continue. Artisen stopped shaking his head and lifted only slightly. His eyes steadily searched the ground, as if he were scrolling over some sort of information that only he could see. After another minute passed, he suddenly stood up and gritted his teeth in a smirk.

"Great… Seems like we've run out of options anyway." He looked over at Renton, a curious sparkle in his eyes. "Come on, let's do the suicidal thing to do."

---

Eureka lied on her bed. The room she was in was smaller then the one before. It was mostly plain, except for a single bed. She was curled up in several sheets. A light blue light barely creaked into the room through the bottom crack of the door. Shadows shifted behind it. Eureka new that the guards were once again changing shifts. They wouldn't let her leave the room, not after she attempted to run away with the Xellien. She attempted to convince herself to wait, knowing that the U.F. would eventually catch him, but a day passed with out notice. Renton's wide fearing eyes continued to burn deep into her eyes and heart. She could feel the pain swerving in her chest. When she attempted to reach out to him back at the cell, Renton had jolted away in fear. It felt as if some one had mortally ripped her heart out.

"Renton…" She muttered and closed her eyes tighter, trying to keep the tears from spilling. His images kept swimming through her mind. All she wanted was to ask him why… why did he fear her? The door slipped open. A bluish light filled the room.

"Eureka." A darkly cool voice called her. Eureka turned in her bed to see Rekina staring right back. Rekina's eyes were dully cold. "We found him. And you are the only one who can bring him back." Her eyes stayed solid along with Eureka's. But the look itself jabbed down into her stomach, leaving a sharp uncomfortable feeling.

"What do you mean?" Eureka asked back with new baring hopes. Rekina barely tipped a smile, but it quickly dropped flat.

"Renton was brain wash and tricked. An agent of the P.O.F. had fooled him into thinking differently. He's not on the right mind Eureka, he'll only listen to you. I want to ask you to take the Xellien… and convince him. Will you do so?" She barely raised an eyebrow, waiting for Eureka's Response. Eureka closed her eyes in relief and smiled.

"So it wasn't Renton." She whispered to herself in relaxed reassurance. After a second of silence she lifted her head and nodded once more. "Yes, I'll do it."

---

"No word from him in three days." Hap sighed in tired annoyance.

"He must have been found." Holland responded with the same exasperated voice. They were all in the command room, sitting in their usual positions. Talho stood next to Holland and his command chair. Silently she stared out the view port.

"And what about Irik?" She asked and gently turned her head towards him. Holland barely glanced up until his head fell back down.

"He has been monitoring the U.F. communication channels for the past four days… almost non stop. He's had little sleep, and he won't let Mischa near him." Holland shook his head and closed his eyes. Talho sighed depressingly.

"Maybe if-" Hap started but was cut off when Irik suddenly burst into the room and charged down the steps.

"Holland! They found him!" He yelled in sudden excitement. Holland frowned and stood up.

"Renton?" He asked to make sure his hopes weren't diverting his hearing.

"Yes, he's on several U.F. channels. Once they were caught, the U.F. spread the signal like a hot fire on a dry forest." Holland nodded and leaped over his seat. He dashed towards Gidjet's empty station and cued in a few commands. The speakers around them instantly came to life.

"Yes, yes, I would like to order a piz-"

"Artisen, stop it, why are we doing this? I thought you said calls would be watched." A familiar voice came through the speakers. The very sound of it caused a smiled to curve at Holland's lips.

"Ret, don't worry, its all in the plan. This isn't only going to reach the U.F., its going to reach everyone." Artisen's clever tone came back.

"Ret?" Holland muttered, never having heard that name before.

"Wait, let me see it then." Renton said and the sound of shuffling noises overcame the speakers.

"There, ok, this is Renton Thurston. I'm not sure if this will be reaching you guys, but Gekko-state, I'm in Pelinore. I've escaped from the U.F. with the help of Artisen. If you can help me… please. She is still with them, and I want to save her." The speakers suddenly took silence. Holland turned his head down in confusion, wondering if the signal had been cut off.

"Eureka, I don't know if this is reaching you at all. But please… wait for me." There was a small click and the transmission stopped. No sound or words came through the bridge. All that could be heard was the hum of the computers. Holland tilted his head down, seeming to be carefully considering something.

"Holland?" Talho asked and waited. Holland's head shot up, a tight wide smirk on his face.

"Pelinore isn't too far from here, is it Hap?" He asked and turned his head towards him. His eyes were completely wide in excitement. Talho couldn't help but laugh slightly at the look. There was finally a new hope that they could take. Hap turned towards his computer and keyed in a few buttons.

"Yes, we could make it there shortly, if we hurry." Hap responded and turned around in his chair. Holland let out a single laugh and settled back down in his command chair.

"Then let's go!" He yelled in new excitement.

---

Artisen and Renton broke from the last tall buildings of the city. They were now back in open area. The tall buildings which had crowded them before were now gone.

"Dang it. Renton, look behind us." Artisen gritted his teeth and jammed his thumb back. Renton followed the motion of his hand and spotted five glowing streams following them.

"U.F.?" He asked and turned forward again. Artisen chuckled and crouched slightly.

"Wouldn't even doubt it." He responded in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Ten minutes had passed, and Renton noticed that the U.F. was slowly gaining on them. He carefully scanned the horizons. A very small break of orange was peeking the sky. It was incredibly dim, and almost nigh impossible to notice.

"How long have we been going." Renton muttered and shook his head violently. His whole body was dragging with fatigue and aches, but he didn't let his guard down. He continued to carefully look around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Except for a small, oddly group of clouds. He squinted, trying to see what it was. Suddenly the cloud burst into a blaze of green wild fire.

"What in the?" Renton gaped in disbelief. The sheer surprise almost knocked him off his board. "Artisen, look at that?" He urgently pointed his hand at the strange sight. Artisen jerked his head to see the cloud of green fade into several stretching lines.

"Shoot… they sent more then just a few ships… that has to be at least a few thousands KLFs… Renton, they really want to capture you." He paused and glanced at the road ahead of them. "We're out of time, we have to break for it…" His voice was covered with confidence, along with the determined look in his eyes. But it is job was to live a lie, and at the moment, there was little hope to depend on. Renton ignored the falling feeling within him and pressed his board forward.

"Hey Renton." Artisen said his true name with a serious tone. Renton frowned at him, even though the situation called for it, he found it odd.

"Yeah?" He responded with careful confusion.

"I'm sorry if you wind back on the ship… I just knew that you would have been stuck there forever… living something that was corrupted. If I didn't pull you out right then." He paused, as if he were to say more, but then shook his head. Renton faced forward. He wasn't really sure how to react to something like that.

"Thank you." Renton replied with a sure smile. Artisen looked over at him and laughed.

"I sure stuck us in a pickle… Wait!" He suddenly yelled and swerved his board right into Renton. They both slammed against the ground. Rock and gravel twisted against their skin, causing several sharp burning pains. When they came to a halt a large explosion erupted from the direction they were headed. Renton lifted himself up and glanced over in astonishment.

"They… they tried to kill us?" The words left him in utter surprise. Artisen replied with a smirk.

"No, that was a distraction shot. They weren't trying to kill us, they were just trying to knock us off course, or confuse us." With precaution he stood up and rubbed his aching back. Satisfied that his body had made it through, he quickly scanned the surroundings. His eyes stopped on two boards impaled into the ground. Rushing at them, he stopped and ripped one out.

"Dang it…" He lifted the board and threw it at the ground. Violently he reached over and pulled the next one out. A smile quickly spread across his lips, and he sighed in relief. "Thank you." Quietly he whispered and rushed back to Renton, "Renton, take this and go. I know you won't make it far. But hopefully you can drag out enough time for help." His voice had turned suddenly forceful. Renton instantly knew what his answer to that was.

"Artisen, I'm not going to leave you here." He responded with the same serious tone. Artisen took a threatening step forward and shoved the board into his arms.

"Renton, I can't let you be captured. The whole world is bending on your next move. This all depends on who gets to you first… The U.F., or the P.O.F.. The U.F. already have a weapon. If you give them the rest, then there is no chance for the P.O.F. to win." Artisen's very eyes seemed to be begging him to listen and go.

"But Artisen." Renton muttered unsurely. A crash exploded and knocked both of them off their feet. They crashed against the hard ground once more. Renton quickly glanced up again. Three KLF's stood before them, each holding a gun at the ready. It was such a strange feeling, the feeling of the inverse drive. He knew that it wasn't there, but its actions had left a power imprint in his mind. Never again would he forget its powerful control, its ability to confused wrong with right and right with wrong. That same feeling that left him in confusion. He didn't want to feel it again.

"No…" He whispered and shook his head in horror. Suddenly a large streaking sound cracked behind him. It became louder, revealing itself to be streaming jets. He was about to turn around when a massive green ship burst overhead. It sent winds crashing out of its way, and back onto the people on the ground. Surprised the three KLFs whipped around to see what it was.

"Gekko-Go?" Renton whispered in plain joyfulness. The Gekko-Go sped away, but not before it shot out a bright glowing light. The light sped at them, quickly taking the shape of the DevilFish. Two red beams shot through the air and pierced two KLFs. Both paused before exploding into pink smoke. Then it sent itself in a twirling motion. The KLF didn't know how to react, so it stepped back just before it was cut in half by the Devilfish's swirling blades.

"Thank you." Renton whispered as the Devilfish landed with outstretched arms.

"Hurry, get on!" Holland's voice urgently commanded. Both Artisen and Renton hopped onto its open hands. It then lifted into the air. With no warning, the Gekko-Go suddenly scooped them out of the skies. Right before they slammed the catapult, the Devilish cusped Renton and Artisen in protective hands. The large LFO crashed into the door, spitting sparks out as metal screeched against metal. They continued to slide against the around until they gently tapped the wall. Cautiously the Devilfish set them on the ground.

"Renton!" Holland's voice filled the hanger as he jumped down ran at them. He briefly stopped and regained his breath, "Good… it's you." He whispered in complete relief. Slowly he lifted his head. His eyes locked in with Renton's, and they shared a moment of silence. Holland smirked and shook his head.

"Renton." Amusedly he said and shook his head. Renton smiled as well.

"Thank you Holland." He replied. Holland nodded and faced Artisen.

"Jeurgen's special operative?" He questioned and looked Artisen directly in the eye. Artisen stood strait and saluted. The smiled faded from Holland's face. "Thank you." True gratitude filled every tone in his voice. Artisen nodded professionally and lowered his hand.

"What now?" Artisen asked and looked between the two. Holland turned around.

"Now we run, we have only three ships on our side. The odds in this battle are too dangerous to take on. Follow me to the bridge Renton." Holland said before running towards the door. Renton didn't hesitate to follow, but something pulled back on his mind. He could almost feel it, the same feeling he had known for a long time. But he shoved it down inside him, knowing that it was impossible. It was a feeling he long for, and he knew he couldn't have, but something else told him that that was wrong. He knew that it was her. That some where close, Eureka was drawing nearer. And even now he wasn't sure it was safe to be that close.

"Eureka…" He whispered as they ran down the halls.

---

"Are you ready Eureka?" Rekina's smoothly voice clearly came through the comm.. Eureka's head fell down and she glanced around Xellien's cockpit.

"Yes." She responded simply.

"Good, as you know, I'll be supporting you in this battle. I'll make sure to help you get Renton." Rekina said, but Eureka was no longer listening. Her thoughts had already wandered back to Renton. His images wouldn't leave her, and she didn't want them to. But continually she saw the fear in his eyes before. Both eyes stared at her, like a knife into her chest.

"Renton." She whispered in pain and closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

"Xellien, XI-10, XI-11, and Restia are launching." A man announced through the hanger's comm.. Eureka's head shot up and she gripped the controls. Little bolts zipped across the speeding gears as it launched the Xellien out into the dark skies. She shoved the controls forward with out hesitation. The Xellien quickly gained speed, drawing further then the rest.

"I'll help you Renton." She whispered as tears streamed over her lips, filling her mouth with a bitter taste. "I'll help you."


	17. Chapter 17: Hopes

**Chapter 17: Hopes**

Renton ran to the bridge right behind Holland. He wasn't really sure what it was, but he was more cautious of the world around him then ever before. The metal panels bellow his feet felt loose. Oddly the lights seemed to flicker for no reason. It was strange to him, he felt like he wasn't apart of this world anymore. Conflicts inside his mind separated him from it all.

They turned one last corner and charged into the Gekko-Go's command room. Inside held the crew of Gekko-State. Every one turned at their entering.

"Welcome back Renton!" Hap cheerily said and turned back to his console. The same greeting was received by everyone, with their own personality to it.

"Gekko-Go, this is captain Jeurgens." Jeurgen's voice cleanly made its way through the speakers. Holland walked over and sat down in his seat.

"What is it Jeurgens?" Holland asked and leaned back in his seat.

"In the next five minutes there will be fifteen more ships coming in, and another twenty or so after that." His voice came gruffly.

"No need, we got Renton." Holland responded back with content. There was a slight pause on the other end.

"Unfortunately that's not enough. The U.F. is sending everything it's got. We'll make sure you get out of here. Once you're gone, it'll be best for you to disappear." Holland raised his head, a stern look masking his face.

"It was unavoidable…" He gritted his teeth as he spoke, "Alright… We'll tak-"

"LFO coming in fast. The computer is having a hard time locking onto its I.D…. Wait, no, that's impossible." Gidjet stuttered and struggled to work at the controls. Holland turned in his seat.

"What is it?" He asked with a stern frown.

"The unit is the FinalBeginning. It'll be here in less then three minutes." She looked up nervously, hesitant to say any more. Holland furiouslu clenched his teeth and faced forward.

"Dang it… they did send her." His head tilted town slightly as he concentrated on what to do. Renton could only stand and watch. Confusion filled his mind. There was so much he wanted to do, anything he could do, but, there was nothing, but there was also something else. A feeling to do much more then what his mind was merely thinking. The sudden realization hit his thoughts as the feeling defined itself within him. Calmly, and yet desperately, he looked over the room. His eyes fell on Artisen, who frowned and made eye contact with him. Both paused, trying to see what the other was thinking. A smirk slowly edged at Artisen's lips, and he nodded. Renton smiled back with gratitude before turning around and facing Holland.

"Holland, please let me go out and help!" He confidently burst out in unexpectedness. Holland didn't even turn his head.

"I'm sorry Renton, but I can't risk you again. And besides, what do you plan to take? We don't have a spare Xellien on hand." Holland calmly stated and continued to gaze out the view port. Renton gritted his teeth, wanting to do so much more, but once again, there was nothing. It was true they didn't have something comparable to the Xellien. All they had was the 606, 808, and 30…

"What about the Devilfish?" He started in new hopes. Holland jabbed his head in Renton's direction. His face was burning with angered disapproval.

"No, Renton, stop trying. I can't let you get captured. You can't handle the Devilfish, that thing could literally kill you! You might be able to match speeds, but you haven't even used it before!" He yelled, causing every one to turn their attention to him. Renton held his gaze, even though he found it increasingly difficult. He was now seeing apart of Holland that he had seen before.

"Please Holland… I think this will be the only chance I have to save her. I can bring her back. You have to let me go Holland!" Renton took a step forward, begging with every ounce of his voice. Holland actually jerked his head back in slight surprise.

"Sir, the Xellien isn't as powerful with out its second pilot." Artisen began. Holland shot his head in his direction, almost threateningly. Artisen didn't blink or flinch, he stood ready to answer. "I've found a lot of information on the LFO. Although it is powerful, it all diverges with the unison of both Eureka, and Renton. If she still cares, which I know she does, then I know Renton would have a fighting chance." Artisen's finished with a solid professional face. Holland clenched his teeth together and faced forward again. He didn't attempt to speak anymore, leaving even the air still. Only a few minutes passed until his head fell and he shook his head.

"Renton… If you die, or if you're captured, then it's all over." He gently lifted his head and turned it towards him. "How can I trust you'll come back?" Renton paused, not really sure on how to answer.

"Let me decide that Holland. I can't run from this anymore." Renton answered with a confident smile. A subtle laugh escaped Holland's lips as he shook his head.

"You changed… not as much, but there was definitely a change. Hurry and take the Devilfish, but please, don't die." Holland nodded and let him leave. Energy filled Renton's chest and he turned around to run.

"Thank you Holland!" He yelled as he dashed out of the room.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Talho asked with a soft tone.

"Heh, more than ever before. Talho, I think we can win this war." He slowly lifted his head at her. His eyes were strong, but Talho saw the weakness and care behind them. She smiled tenderly and took his hand.

"If we share our strength with him." She responded back.

---

"I can do it." Renton whispered as he ran down the halls, "I can finally turn her back to how she wants to be… to how she was meant to be." His eyes curved with the streak of determination. More then ever did he need to ride an LFO to achieve his hopes. He continued to run but stopped when Irik walked out of a door in front of him.

"Irik?" Renton muttered subconsciously. Irik turned to him in a rush of surprise.

"Re-Renton…" He stuttered and avoided eye contact. Renton frowned, having no idea what was bothering him.

"What is it?" Renton asked and followed his anxious eyes. Irik lifted his head in confusion, as if what he said was from a different language.

"You… don't know?" He asked in careful hesitation. Renton frowned and shook his head. "Dang it." He muttered and turned around. Renton could still only watch in obliviousness.

"What is it Irik?" Gently Renton asked and took a step closer. Irik suddenly twisted his head away in guilt.

"I… need to let you know the truth." He lifted his head up and finally made eye contact, "I made the mistake of hoping for something that wasn't there… I forced myself to believe they had my sister… when I knew they didn't." He tightly closed his eyes as tears started to push through. "I'm so sorry Renton. I've never been apart of the P.O.F., not until now. I've been a spy working for the U.F.. I helped the completion of the Inverse Drive construction, and I helped them capture you." His eyes shut tighter. What ever expression Renton would hold towards him, he didn't want to see it. Renton stared in complete and utter shock. It was a different pain that was now twisting in his stomach as he looked at Irik. It was filled with disgust, but it was mostly turning with hate and anger. It was because of Irik that Eureka was taken, because of Irik that she was in pain, because of Irik that Konner is dead. Renton gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. The burning desire to just let his fist swing was more tempting then Renton had ever known. He took a step forward and slowly raised his hand, but he stopped suddenly. His eyes went wide and he looked over to his shaking fist.

"That isn't me." He whispered too quietly for Irik to hear. An image of Eureka settled in his mind. The feeling of hate and disgust turned to guilt. Irik had said why he did it, because of his sister. The feeling of loosing a younger sister must have been more painful then he could imagine. But he did know what it was like to loose an older sister.

"Irik… Its alright." Renton said and lifted his head at him. Irik's tight eyes opened with wide shock.

"You… aren't?" He struggled to get the words through his mouth. Renton nodded and smiled.

"I know what it's like to loose a sister, whether older or younger." He lifted his head and studied Irik's expression. It was obvious to him now that Irik didn't want to do any of it. "Have you told Holland or the crew?" Irik wiped his soaking eyes and shook his head.

"No, they found out on their own. Holland was the one who forgave me. I was…" He paused and looked around hesitantly. "I know it doesn't make up for what I did. But I tricked the U.F. into thinking I was still on their side. That weapon that created the bubble of empty trapar, I constructed that for the 606. I did the best I could to knock the signals out of both of you… when you left and hadn't made contact in four days… Well, picking up your signal wasn't too hard on the phone lines." He attempted to speak clearly, but his mind was tired. Renton's smile became gentler. Now he could see the true intention behind Irik.

"Irik… when was the last time you got sleep." Renton asked as he noticed his drifting eyes.

"I didn't go to sleep last night…" He called back in a smaller voice. Renton didn't know what else to say, but he did know time was running short.

"Thank you Irik, I do forgive you. I have to leave now, thank you Irik." Renton finished and dashed down the hall. A yawn pressed through Irik's throat as he tiredly walked back into his room. There was a small smile settled in his lips. He plopped into his bed, and let the comfort of sleep take his full body away.

---

"I'm ready…" Renton called into the comm.. He held the drug injection device in his hand, just looking as it left a twisting feeling in his stomach. Some how the device reminded him of the inverse drive, except on a much lower level.

"Renton, there's something you should know." Artisen's voice came through the comm..

"What?" Renton asked and started to lift the device over his head.

"The inverse drive is linked to your mind, and it has a wide range… an incredible large range. Once you're within that range it will try and link with you again. The compac drive on the 303 will not cause any disturbance. So be careful, and good luck." The comm. shut off, leaving Renton to himself. He knew what was about to come, and he knew he had to be strong. Forcefully he shoved the helmet on the head. Four sharp pains stabbed into his skin.

"Gah." His hands shook violently, resisting the desire to rip the helmet off. The pain finally dissipated, and he fell back against his seat. Already he could feel his thoughts merging into forms of Eureka. He wanted to save her from the pain she was in, but he had to wait. Gently he closed his eyes and waited. When he opened them again, the catapult had lowered, revealing the gaseous clouds flying past. In the center of it all was a glowing bright red dot, and beyond that was a rushing wave of splashing green. The whole image made his arms twitched tighter against the controls. A massive cloud of destruction and chaos was heading his way… and he only cared about one thing. The stop lights turned red, and he launched off the pad, tearing apart the air in front of him. Smoothly he twisted around, whipped out his board, and landed on it. Molten green liquid spewed from the back, pouring into the air with flashing colors. Bending forward slightly, the Devilfish activated its backward jets. Fire shot out like a solid pillar of light, sending him towards the chaos at air shattering speeds.

"Holland, please, I don't want to kill you." Eureka's saddened voice weakly made it through the comm.. Renton tightly closed his eyes and shook his head. He could feel her pain just by the sound of her voice.

"No Eureka… It's not Holland, it's me, Renton." He responded back into the receiver. Off in the distance he could see splashes of green from the glowing dot, Eureka had faltered.

"Renton, please come back. They're tricking you into thinking something is real that isn't. You've been brain washed Renton, please listen." She pleaded through the speaker. Renton let out a single laugh. He wasn't sure if it was because of surprised, anger, or sheer shock at how ironic that sounded.

"Eureka, stop listening to that feeling in your head. Those thoughts aren't yours!" His voice started to burn with anger. "That compac drive in the Xellien is not a compac, it's an Inverse drive!" He yelled and slammed his fist against the side. His breath sped up, and his eyes flashed wider and smaller. The drugs were starting to seize his body. Inside he could feel his heart thumping within his chest. Things around him started to shift and blur. "Dang it… Holland's right." He whispered breathlessly.

"Renton." The voice broke into his thoughts and his eyes finally focused. He lifted his head just in time to see the Xellien smash against him. A loud thundering crack boomed from the collision. He felt his whole body squeeze against his seat from the sheer pressure. Shadows crawled against his vision, but the drugs within him barely kept his mind active and awake. Still, even with the effects, he felt reality swerving and turning around him.

The Xellien gripped the head of the Devilfish and pulled. Screeching metal pierced the air.

"No." Renton yelled and twisted the controls. The Devilfish turned and shoved its knee into the Xellien. Both fell away from each other and quickly regained balance. A short pause of peace settled between the two as they regain breath.

"Eureka… can't you feel something is wrong?" Renton whispered into the comm.. The Xellien stared back ominously with out a word. Its eyes seemed slacked and dead. When no response came, Renton clenched his teeth and shoved the wheel forward.

"EUREKA!?" He screamed and slammed his LFO against hers. They struggled with each other, random loud bangs emitting from all around.

"Renton… I want to." Her voice some how made it through all the chaos. "But." She whispered weakly.

"Eureka, don't let him confuse you as well!" Another voice suddenly broke through the speakers. The very sound of it made Renton crush his wheel with shaking fury. It was Rekina, the one who had started Eureka's confusion, convincing her what was right and wrong.

"Eureka, lis-" He started, but a pure white LFO shot through and slammed him away from the Xellien.

"Renton, the P.O.F. has tricked you. They've made you believe in something that isn't real. You and Eureka hold something very real, something in this world that needs to be amplified and flourished. Don't waste it on false hopes. Here with the U.F. we can make sure you're safe with her. We will not let any one touch the sacred thing which you and Eureka have made." Rekina's convincing voice rang inside his ears. Eureka, U.F., Rekina, and hope were all stirring inside his thoughts. At that moment, he felt as if he could really trust Rekina, but he instantly realized the truth behind it all.

"You're giving me false hopes… you know what I want, and you know what Eureka wants. All you are doing is Corrupting our Hopes with your own." His teeth clenched tighter and tighter, to the point where he was sure it would all shatter inside his mouth.

"Give me back EUREKA!" The Devilfish suddenly broke out into a molten erratic furry. It raised both hands, put them together and slammed the top of the angelic LFO. The LFO lost its grip and fell backwards. Renton didn't stop there. He could feel his rage filling his arms with energy. With out a moment of rest, the Devilfish shot forward and slammed a solid fist right through the LFO's stomach. Its hand pierced through like rock through paper.

"Idiot you've-" Rekina screamed through the crackly comm.. The Devilfish let go and raised a swift kick into the white LFO's chest. Its board slipped out from under it, flying off into some unknown destination. The LFO itself fell backwards through the air until it slammed against the ground. Dust flew into the sky, covering the air in a dirty haze. Renton gripped the controls again, ready to finish what he had begun. But his grip quickly loosened as he realized what he was doing.

"Curse it all." He whispered through heavy breaths, "I can't kill you… I don't want to." His throat became dry and crackly. Slowly he turned the 303 to face the Xellien, which was silently hovering in the air.

"Renton… I can't remember… I want so badly to remember it all, everything about everything… But I can't." Any strength in her voice was completely gone. He could hear her whimpers softly crackling through the speakers.

"Eureka, drop the Xellien and just come with me… please." He begged. There was a long pause where no sound would reach his ears. Finally, the Xellien drifted forward and stopped in front of the Devilfish.

"I trust you Renton, more than I trust anything else." Her voice was stronger this time, more confident then before. Renton wasn't really sure how to explain the absolute feeling of joy and happiness that was now crawling throughout his body.

"Eureka, let's go home." He answered back.

"Rent-" Her voice started, but it was quickly flushed out by a more powerful one.

"Activate the waver releasers. I don't care if it will kill her, just activate them!" Rekina's powerful voice boomed through the comm.. Suddenly a screamed filled Renton's ears, one that twisted around every muscle in his body.

"Renton!" Eureka screamed in pain. Renton controlled the Devilfish to grip the Xellien.

"Eureka, what's wrong, what is it?" He yelled desperately, but only her screams would come back in reply. Then the screaming abruptly stopped, leaving the room in disturbing silence.

"Eureka?" He called hesitantly. No reply came, instead the Xellien raised a fist and slammed it against the Devilfish. The harsh attack sent the LFO toppling through the air and towards the ground. It came within bare inches of impacting the ground, but it quickly swerved its boards and twirled forward. Everything around it span out of control as it barely attempted to gain balance against the winds. Finally it kicked its board back up and swerved towards the Xellien.

"Eureka?! What is wrong with you?" Renton yelled into the comm., charging the Xellien. The Xellien dodged out of the way of his head on attack. Its hand whipped out and gripped the board, causing the Devilfish to flip forward and out of control once again.

"Gah." He muttered while gritting his teeth. The Xellien charged forward, cleanly flying through the air. Wind shattered as the Xellien charged and smacked into the Devilfish. The power forced Renton forward in his seat. Darkness once again crawled around his vision, but the drugs were still kicking in.

"Renton." A dull monotone voice called. "I cant." Eureka's voice sounded over the comm.. Renton gritted his teeth and whipped the Devilfish around. It twisted into the grip of the Xellien, releasing screeching sound that shattered glass. It then raised both arms and gripped the Xellien's Shoulders.

"Eureka, listen to me… PLEASE!" He yelled with every tone achievable in his voice. "The Inverse Drive is controlling you… please… please listen!" He begged and slammed both fists on the control panel.

Eureka could hear his voice, but it was suddenly drowned down by a sound of flapping wings. She looked around the view port to see thousands of black trapar birds clutter around the Xellien. They crowded until they some how sunk into the Xellien, and left her in pitch black darkness. Her eyes dashed around nothingness in horror. She could still hear Renton's muted voice calling from some where in the distance. A brief second later and it was completely gone. Opening her mouth she screamed his name. But even as she opened her mouth, no sound left it. Her eyes grew wide and twitched violently. She quickly realized that she was alone in the darkness. A feeling of hopeless froze the inside of her stomach. There was no hope inside the vast space of emptiness. Gently she curled into a ball, hugger her knees, and planted her head inside her arms. A cold wind was pushing against her. Where this wind derived, she couldn't tell. It continued to shiver her body with sliding pains.

"Renton… I can't." She mouthed, but still no words came. Suddenly a feeling encased her hand and filled her whole body with warmth. It was so familiar, that her head shot up in shock. The feeling was a hand taking hers. It was spilling hope into her body, and it was stronger than ever before.

"Renton?" Her voice scarcely whispered. The hand gently pulled hers with care. She didn't resist its soft touch, she wanted it to direct her. Floating into the air, the invisible hand led her back down. Her hand rested around some useable object. Its cold solid surface pressed against her skin. A frown incased her brows as she wondered what it was. Like drifting wind another warm hand cusped around hers. There were now two hands, each one suddenly pressured her one into gripping the cubic object. They both then forced her to pull up with incredible strength. At first she felt a spark of hesitation, but Renton's image encased her mind, and she pulled as well. The darkness around her cracked, light filled the creases with a gentle bright glow. She pulled harder, and the cracks multiplied and became thicker. All the cracks then shattered, shooting rays of gold and white light into her vision, but along with it came a flowing wave of sound. All the shattered pieces started to spin around her and morph into black trapar birds. swerving winds surrounded her as the creatures continued. The harder she pulled, the weaker the invisible hands became. But then another strength instantly pushed energy through out her body.

"EUREKA!" Renton's voice made her rip and twist the object. The light behind the black trapar birds faded, revealing she was inside the cockpit. Her eyes moved down to view the object in her hand… the Inverse Drive. With Renton's voice still filling her body, she pulled one last time. The Inverse Drive's glass cracked, and its dark purple glow began to fade and flicker with green. All the trapar birds stopped, as if some strong plain wind had halted them. Immediately after, they all faded away into a pure black smoke. Eureka quickly shot her eyes around the cock pit. Her whole body was shaking. So many emotions had just flashed through her, that her mind was mixed with realization. A small gurgling feeling slowly pressed up her throat. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth. This feeling was new to her, but she felt it coming. Just as it reached her mouth, it faded, and sharp pain glanced across her left wing. It felt as if a thousand needles were being dragged across it's jell like surface. She stared back in horror, noticing for the first time its dark purple color. Little violet bolts popped and scaled across her wing. As the pain itself became stronger, she gripped her shoulder and watched. Suddenly the dark purple sucked into her like a liquid and disappeared, restoring her wing's brilliant green glow.

"Geh…" She coughed and looked at her other wing, seeing that it was still a dark purple. "Renton?" Her voice crackled weakly. When she glanced up she saw the Devilfish. It was cracked, dented, twisted, and mangled. She glanced around to see that the Xellien was gripping devilfish, as devilgish was gripping the Xellien back. Her eyes grew wide in horror.

"Renton?" She called and begged with all her mind for him to answer.

"I'm sorry Eureka…" He whispered, and the Devilfish slipped off its boards. It periled down to the ground until it slammed against the surface.

---

"Get ready to cut off the first wave!" Holland yelled, watching the Devilfish charge at the Xellien.

"Holland, that will be impossible with just us." Hap responded back with doubt. Holland immediately nodded, but his eyes were solid with order.

"We won't let this battle fail…" His voice called through the room. Every one nodded and put their full attention on their positions.

"Firing!" Ken-Goh announced and pressed a few controls. The Gekko-Go's guns fired, sending six lasers… or twenty, thirty, fifty, eighty, one hundred.

"What in the?" Holland frowned and stared at all the other lasers that were flying past them from behind.

"Glad to see we're thinking on the same page Holland." Jeurgens voice came through the comm.. Holland smirked and leaned back in his seat.

"Your timing couldn't be better then ever Jeurgens." Holland responded humorously.

The battle between the P.O.F. and U.F. had started. Holland now saw the waking of this battle open before all their lives. Hundreds of beams shot across the sky, piercing the thousands of oncoming KLFs. The attacks filled the skies with pink puffs of smoke. At the head of the charging U.F. was a large pure white cruiser. Heading right back was the P.O.F., their lead coming with a reflective green Gekko-Go. The skies once again blazed with green fire from both sides.

"We're going to take down that white ship." Holland said with determination. The Gekko-Go suddenly broke into the wave of KLFs. It twisted and turned in the air, avoiding collision with any of the units.

"Five S.U.s on each side heading towards out position!" Gidjet spurted out as they flew across.

"We'll just have to charge strait through…" Holland muttered and quickly summed their surroundings. "Doggie, barrel to the right and do a side cut. Ken-Goh, get ready to charge the cannons at the side of that ship." Ken-Goh twisted around in his seat, a tight frown between his brows.

"The blast and our momentum would not only send us off course, but the blast along with us." Ken-Goh stated to Holland's opinion.

"That's what I'm hoping for." Holland replied and smirked. Ken-Goh shook his head and turned back in his seat. The Gekko-Go charged strait at the white cruiser. It continued to charge until it twisted side ways and the cannons shot strait beams of heat. The lasers smeared the metal into molten mush. Each scrape cause several explosions of black flaming smoke. The streaming blast pushed the Gekko-Go back and the beams retraced the already deep gash.

"Ahhh, I see Holland." Ken-Goh let out a laugh from deep within his chest. But just as the excitement was building, the Gekko-Go was sent into a hard spinning whirlwind.

"Doggie!" Holland yelled as the command room shook.

"I got it!" He replied in a strained voice. The Gekko-Go flatted out against the wind, twisted to its normal direction, and turned to face forward.

"Good work Doggie." Hap told him and turned back to his station. Moondoggie let out a relieved sigh and smiled.

"The war isn't over yet, turn around and do an over shot." Holland yelled. The Gekko-Go turned around in the air. Several beams shot around them, all aimed at the Gekko-Go, but the green ship's sound breaking speed surpassed their heated tips. The beams missed and scattered about, hitting stray U.F., P.O.F. ships and KLFs. The Gekko-Go passed over the white ship. Slots opened on the Gekko-Go's wings, each one launching several little missiles. All the missiles spread out like a pluming cloud and back down around the Gekko-go into the white ship.

"S.U.s coming in, this time all ten together!" Gidjet screeched. Holland grinded his teeth and quickly analyzed all his options, but there were little.

"Gekko-Go, move down!" Jeurgens voice sounded through the speakers. Moondoggie frowned and glanced at Holland's approval.

"Doggies!" Holland yelled furiously. Moondoggie turned around and jabbed the controls. The Gekko-Go barely avoided collision with the Super Izumo. The Izumo charged forward and slammed into the ten oncoming S.U.s Each one clattered against the Izumo's strong metal hall.

"Nothing can break this ships shielding." Jeurgens defiantly stated. Holland smirked, having no objection to the statement.

"Let's take down that white ship." The Gekko-Go and Izumo dived forward, side by side. Each one turned off to either direction and faced sideways. Several missiles launched from the back, going out and back into the ship. Both the Izumo and the Gekko-Go fired their cannons. The beams dug deep into the ships hall, searing a deep cut right through the ship. When the beams reached far enough, each one punched through, exploding out the other side.

"That ought to do it!" Holland yelled. Explosions burst all around the back of the ship, ripping its metallic frame to shreds. Slowly it tilted forward and crashed into the ground. The whole ship crackled under its own pressure. Its once beautiful frame was completely crushed. Upon impact, a large shockwave pressed through the ground, sending a wave of dust particles in a large spreading circle, followed a series of cracks randomly appearing across the landscape. Holland frowned in confusion.

"Hap, open a window to the rear of the Gekko-Go." Holland asked and waited. Hap nodded and punched in a few keys. A small corner of the view port lost its transparency and was replaced by a screen. The screen revealed a large landscape that suddenly cut off into nothing.

"Dang it." He muttered and turned his attention back to the field, "We're at the edge of the outer shell and the land is breaking." Ken-Goh and Hap both looked up to see the several cracks that was now on the land.

"Another break off… now it'll be impossible to avoid damaging the outer shell." Hap said and gritted his teeth, knowing that they had just done an undoable mistake.

"Get a zoom in on the Devilfish." Holland commanded and Hap replied with another nod. The screen from before changed to two LFOs speeding towards the ground, one trying to catch the other. His eyes turned wide as he watched. "Did Renton do it?... or is it…" He closed his mouth and waited with a fierce glare.

---

"Renton!" Eureka yelled and pushed the Xellien to go faster. The LFO sped down with every attempt to steady the Devilfish. The second the Devilfish was within grasp, Eureka hit the controls and the Xellien wrapped its arms around the LFO. She pulled back once more, barely catching the splattering waves to steady her. The Xellien swerved back and forth between the waves. It finally spiraled down and landed on the ground. A cracked appeared nigh close to catching them within its deep bowels. The hatch to the Xellien slid open with out her having to even do anything. Gently the Xellien laid the Devilfish on its back.

"Renton!" She yelled again, but heard no reply. Her eyes scanned around the Devilfish's frame woozily, it was almost completely destroyed. Her mind was free. Now that Rekina was most likely dead, the Inverse Drive would no longer have effect on her. There was an odd light headed feeling in her mind, as if her whole body had no weight at all. She was almost afraid to jump down and not fall, but her fear for Renton was great, much greater. Not a single thought of hesitation passed before she hopped down and stumbled across the rocky ground. She shifted her eyes back and forth. The grounds around them were littered with scrap metal, KLFs, and even a few P.O.F. and U.F. pilot bodies. Her attention immediately turned back to the Devilfish. The cockpit slid open and Renton stood up. A cut on his forehead was slowly draining blood from his already exhausted body. The slacking in his eyes urged Eureka to rush faster. Slowly he made his way down from the LFO, but his leg turned lazy and he slipped off.

"Renton!" She yelled for the third time. He hit the ground, and Eureka ran in with her arms wrapping around him. Tenderly he held her back, not having enough strength in his arms to express his true feeling. Even though his body was tired, there was now a new burning fire within him.

"Eureka." He whispered in calm joy. Eureka tightly held him as he did her.

"I'm sorry Renton… I'm so sorry for what I did." She cried into his shoulder. He shook his head and smiled.

"No, we're alright… everything is alright now." There was just a moment of relishing in the renewed feeling they had.

"What am I going to do… after all I've done… all the pain I've caused." Eureka asked and softly pulled away from Renton. She saw a pure calm and confidence in his eyes. It reflected the very thing she loved inside him.

"They were just as worried as I was, Eureka. When you're back… this war will be over. Now that Rekina is dead." He stopped and looked at all the ruin that was placed around them, "I wish so many people hadn't died." Quietly he said and his eyes dimmed in sadness. Eureka pulled herself back into his arms.

"We can't forget this… can we…?" Renton nodded his head against hers.

"No, we have to bear with our mistakes." He answered back. Eureka didn't like it, but the feeling he was giving her was more powerful. She knew now that everything would be alright.

"I don't want to loose you again."

"You won't." He answered, "What about the Xellien?"

"It was also bound by the Inverse Drive." She said and gently turned around to see it sitting silently. Even though its face held no emotion, the tired fatigue in its eyes could be seen.

"He lives with us… by us…" Renton said next to her. She nodded and turned back into his arms.

"We can't leave him alone. He's changed, just like you and me. We can't let Holland or anyone dismantle it. Please… we can't." Eureka held him tighter. Renton nodded and continued to stare at the abused LFO, even though no marks touched its armor. He turned his eye back to Eureka and suddenly every muscle in his body turned tense. Gently he moved his arms and gripped her shoulders.

"Eureka… please forgive me for what I'm about to do. I love you Eureka…" Suddenly his grip around her shoulders tightened and he threw her to the side. She fell and hit the ground. Right after, a bang shook the air, earth, and distance. She twisted her head around to see Renton stand up, gripping his chest in pain. He stumbled backward and began to fall off the cliff. For that split second time slowed down, where seconds became minutes, and days became weeks. She watched him slowly fall. His eyes were directed at her, they revealed a powerful form of sadness. But one thing she noticed was his desire for strength, something he couldn't get. Time shifted back to normal speed. He fell down the crack that they had barely avoided when landing. Eureka felt a cold sharp pain stab up through her body.

"Renton." She started in a quiet whisper, "RENTON!" She screamed with such intensity. He was gone, with out another trace of his face to be seen again. Her hands were shaking unstably. It suddenly became very cold, so cold that the very essence of darkness was shaking her body. Slowly she turned her head to see Rekina standing on her ruined LFO. She held the gun that had removed Renton from his body.

"The mission was a failure." Rekina said with utter calm. Eureka stood, staring blankly at her. "Its time to remove any other possible threats to future missions." She turned her gun and aimed it at Eureka. Eureka didn't even make a move to dodge. The trigger was pulled and the bullet seared the air, but it missed. Instead it hit the golden hair pin on Eureka's head. It ricocheted off and down into the never ending pit bellow. Tenderly she raised her hand and felt that the golden pen was gone. Her hand shook harder at the touch, until it tightly clenched together into a fist. Tears streamed down from her eyes and seeped into her lips. She felt an emotion that she had felt before, but this time it was real. It started to burn her entire body, engulfing the cold, but still leaving the twisting pain. Ominously she stepped forward next to one of the mangled bodies of the soldiers. Bending down she picked up a gun.

"Oh please, you are a simple weapon to be used Eureka… although you hold great potential, there is nothing left in you but a threat. But I have mercy upon those that I have inflicted pain upon. Therefore, I won't let you suffer in this world." She lifted her gun and aimed it at Eureka. "Maybe we'll meet again." For once, a smirk crackled on her lips. She pulled the trigger… and only received a click. The sound pressed her eyes into wide white, "Out?" She whispered in complete horror. Eureka raised her gun, aiming it directly at Rekina. No word pressed against Eureka's lips. No anger expressed itself on her face, but only wide eyes of surprise. She could feel it burning inside her, the hate she felt towards Rekina… and the pain she had caused her.

"You plan to kill me then?" Rekina abruptly questioned. Her eyes darted around, searching for something that could help her. "Let your pain swell within you… let it control you like you let the Inverse Drive." She stopped and threw a weapon more powerful then a simple gun. Rekina's words pressed deep into Eureka's chest, allowing the pain to become thicker. Finally Eureka resisted it no more. The tip of her gun exploded, and the bullet pierced Rekina's forhead. Still, it wasn't enough. Eureka pulled the trigger again, and again at the already fallen body. The gun didn't stop until there were no more bullets to give. Her hand shook violently and her breath became erratic.

"Is this real?" She asked and fell to her knees. Renton's arms were no longer there to support her, she was alone. Turning her head she spotted another gun lying on the ground. Temptation spoke deathly thoughts to her mind, but she instantly turned her head away.

"No… I can't let myself go… not after all Renton has..." She couldn't get the last words through her throat. It had a meaning to painful for her mind to bear. Still the cold thoughts submerged her mind. Renton's fearing, loving, caring, understanding, powerful, and gentle eyes would know longer touch her heart. It suddenly occurred to her how cold the world was becoming.

"Renton." She begged to her empty soul. With no more strength, she fell to the ground and curled into a ball. It almost felt as if she was in the dark pit of nothingness again… nothing again…

---

"Impossible…" Holland whispered as what had just happened was unreal, but it all unraveled before his eyes. The whole command room exceeded no sound. None was needed. All of their minds were on the same thought. Standing up Holland stepped out of his chair.

"Prepare the 606 for launch, I'm going to help her." Holland said and stepped out of his chair. No one spoke a word of disapproval as he left the room.

He sailed down the green winds and swooped up to land on the hard crackling ground. The cockpit to the 606 slipped open and he stood up. Just on the ground bellow him was a motionless Eureka.

"Eureka." He said in a silent voice, sympathy drowning its strength. Carefully he made his way down and knelt next to Eureka. The tears streaming down from her eyes instantly caught his notice.

"Eureka." He said in a stronger voice. Her head flipped to the right with wide and confused eyes. When she realized it was Holland, she turned back. "We have to go…" He said and laid a hand on her shoulder. Still no response came. A sigh fell from his chest as he thought of what to do next.

"Holland… I didn't mean to… I didn't want him to." She started in a voice that was already bound to cry. Holland tenderly nodded and picked her up off the ground.

"Don't worry Eureka… Let's get back to the Gekko-Go." He said in a faked confident voice. Once again Eureka's eyes turned wide and she faced him.

"No, we can't leave the Xellien behind." Her eyes held the very meaning of disparity. A frown quickly covered Holland's face.

"Eureka… is the Inverse Drive still?" He said, but he didn't want to believe it. Eureka shook her head and closed her eyes.

"It was trapped like me… confused by the curse of that device. But with Renton's help I destroyed the device. Please Holland, don't let the child slip away and be forgotten… don't let the same thing happen twice." She barely wisped as she began to cry. Holland held her close and nodded reassuringly.

"Alright, I understand Eureka. I'll have two KLFs carry it over." He responded, but wasn't to sure he would follow through. Turning back he saw that the Xellien's head was now lifted up at them. It almost scared him, but the look in its design reminded him of something else and confirmed his belief in Eureka.

"You're right Eureka, we can't let this one slip away." His words were strangely more aimed away from Eureka, and more towards himself.

---

"So that's it… they all retreated." Artisen shook his head and plopped into a chair. He and Hap were the only ones inside the command room.

"After they heard what happened to Rekina… well." He drifted off and looked up at the view port. The Gekko-Go had landed on the ground, beyond them several more P.O.F. ships could be seen, along with the Izumo.

"And where is Eureka?" Artisen's brows creased at his own question. Hap's head fell down.

"Like I would know."

---

There was a tap at Klera's door. She twisted her head at it and dropped the pencil.

"Jake is still on duty." She whispered and tenderly held her hand. Lately she had been writing non stop. Every muscle in her hand was aching tiredly. Getting up from her chair, she moved over to the door and slid it open. Behind it was Irik, some one she recognized instantly.

"You, how did you get onboard?" She gawked and fell back before catching herself. Irik sighed and looked away uncomfortably.

"I didn't suspect you would know." He barely admitted from his trembling mouth. Klera noticed the expression on his face, but she wasn't going to let it catch her off guard.

"Why are you here? Why did you do it?" Each question buried deep into his mind. He wasn't here to answer question, but now that he thought about it, maybe he was.

"I made a mistake Klera. It wasn't my intention to have Konner killed… that wasn't apart of the plan at all." He laughed angrily and tightly closed his eyes, "There wasn't even a plan." Klera couldn't help but frown at Irik's odd emotions. He had never acted like this before. Still, the mention of Konner tinged a cord deep within her. Already the tears were slowly piling on her lids.

"Then why are you here?" She asked again, Irik opened his eyes away from her.

"I was an idiot. I came to let you know the truth." He turned his head back to her. Now she could tell he was being absolutely serious, and something inside told her to listen. "I've been apart of the U.F. for a long time. They had been working on the project Xellien… or FinalBeginning sense my father's death, even before then. After my father died, as you know, my whole family was killed off, besides me." He gritted his teeth, hating these memories most of all, "I-I'll jump to the point… The U.F. wanted me back. I immediately refused, but they said they still had my sister, and I would have her back if I came." He lifted his head up and glanced around the room with moistening eyes. "I can't believe I went along… even when deep inside me I knew it had to be untrue. But it was the hope it gave me… That I wasn't the only one…. And…" He stopped, and let the room overcome with silence. Klera stood with little emotion, except for the tears streaming down her face. Irik wasn't sure what to look at. His eyes were swiftly moving around the room.

"Your little sister?" Klera softly called. Irik finally stopped and kept his eyes off to the side.

"Yes… I'm sorry Klera. If I had known the consequences… I was being an idiot." He turned around, facing the door. "I'm sorry that I inflicted so much pain on you. More than anything, I wish I could go back and stop what happened. I didn't know that's what would happen… I'm sorry." He finished and started out of the room.

"Wait, Irik." The call of his name stopped him in his steps. Gently he turned around with saddened eyes. Klera shared the same look, but it slipped into a smile, "Why don't you stay here? Jake will be getting off shift soon. I'd also like to show you the book I've been writing." Her voice was more cheerful. Nothing like he had heard from her before, but that made it all the sweeter. A smile stamped itself on his face, and he nodded.

"Thank you… You've been writing?" He asked, wondering if he would cry or laugh. Suddenly things started to seem normal to him, or rather they didn't. It wasn't exactly the same; so many new emotions were stirring about, ones he liked.

"But Irik… how is Eureka?" She asked grimly. Irik forgot the new touch of happiness.

"After Renton fell down through the outer shell crack. She has just disappeared, wandering around some where in the Gekko-Go." He replied.

"I thought I would hate her, after I heard the Xellien destroyed Konner's KLF, but I couldn't hate her… she was confused, I don't even think she knew Konner was in there." Her eyes came tighter together with pushing sorrow, "But now she'll probably blame herself for Renton's death… I don't know what to do." She whispered and silently. Irik nodded, wondering if there was anything he could do for Eureka.

---

"Sorry Talho, I was checking just a few last things with Jeurgens. We checked the crack that Renton had fallen through… it goes all the way through. They predict that that section of the land will break off soon." He walked across their room and sat next to Talho on the couch. She leaned into him, holding their baby along with her.

"So he's gone…" She asked. Holland hesitated, but he nodded, "Do they plan on searching for a body?"

"No, it would be impossible. Even if we did, I don't want Eureka to see it." He shook his head and rested his face in his hands, "I didn't think it would all happen like this." His voice crackled within his throat, "I have no idea how Eureka will take this in the end."

"I've always felt like they were our children… That we were there for them when their parents were gone… but now a part of the family has been broke." She paused and tilted her head down towards the baby, "We need to be there for her." Holland nodded, feeling exactly the same way. He followed her gaze back down to the baby as well.

"This happened at the worst time… the Gekko-Go is loosing its grip. Rekina is dead, and with the last heir of the sages gone, the U.F. will resort to some other tactless form. This war didn't end with the death of a hero. His death wasn't fair." He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.

---

Eureka sat alone against the Xellien. Later back the Gekko-Go crew and other P.O.F. hoisted it into the Gekko-Go hanger. She sat limp against the Xellien. Her face and eyes were lifeless, and her emotions were spinning with hopelessness.

"He's… gone." She said in a solemn voice. No response came except the silence. "I didn't want it to happen Xellien, but it's my fault, it's all my fault. Rekina was right in what she said. I let the Inverse Drive control me." Her voice echoed slightly.

"It's cold Xellien… It's so much colder now that he's gone." Gently she covered her eyes with her hands. Some time pass when her head suddenly shot up and turned around in surprise. The door to the Xellien slid open, beckoning Eureka in.

"You feel the same way?" She asked with saddening wonder. Silently she stood there listening to a voice only she could hear.

"Thank you." Reaching up, she carefully climbed the smooth, curved edge of the Xellien's side. When she slipped into the cockpit, the door slid shut. The air was thick with silence, so much, that Eureka hugged her knees to suppress the cold feeling.

"I don't want to believe it Xellien." She called in a soft voice. Slowly the silence began to sting her ears, but there was nothing she could do. Renton was dead, gone from the world they loved and saved. The strength to feel hate was drained from her body. She didn't want to know how she was going to live the next years of her life. Out of weakness, she leaned down and gave up. Her voice broke out into loud cries of pain. In response, the Xellien's shields dimmed, leaving her in solitude. Tighter and tighter she held herself, just trying to muffle the pains of guilt. Even if that pain did go away, she knew that the sting of silence would touch her ears forever.

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That's the end of book 1, Eureka seven: Corrupted Hopes. I'm starting book two up within next week. I'm also setting a new date. My submissions have usually been spontaneous and out of order. From now on, you can just go to my profile and check my status. Also, I will now be submitting my chapters every Saturday. This way you people won't be left so confused, wondering if I'll ever submit another chapter. Don't worry, when I feel like I need to stop writing, which isn't going to happen, you guys will know before I do. Yes, that doesn't make sense, my point.

Also, for those who don't want to leave a review on this website, or have a question for me. I have made an email specifically for answering questions or if you just want to let me know about something in my story. Here in that email: kasterrevised yahoo . com . You'll have to fill the spaces in yourself. Due to the one thing that will mess it up, but that's for you people.

I have a question as well. Would you guys like me to start submitting my stories in double space? I'm planning to go back to chapter one and make the change. I would have done it by now, but when I was doing so, it screwed a few things up. So It'll take longer then I thought.

One last thing, my next book will be coming out pretty soon. I already have a title, one you might have picked up on. Any who, that's not the point. I'm going to start a poll really quick for a special ship that is going to be in my next book. I won't tell you guys what this ship is… until the next book… what'ya know? So here are the names:

Oxalin

Night Iris

Black Iris

(Your suggestions)

(Your suggestions)

You people get to suggest your own names in the review for this chapter. Then, I want every one to vote on a name in the review section of this book. Once people have voted, I'll take the sums, and that will be the ship's name. I hope you people vote.

This is the end of book one my good friends, tah tah. Questions will be answered as more questions are raised. So soon to come is:

**Eureka Seven: The Sting of Silence. **(book two)


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